Faceless
by AlSmash
Summary: To be a Shinobi is to be a master of deception and manipulation. What if the Naruto everyone knew was a deliberate and carefully crafted lie designed to fool everyone? Now faced with the fact that the illusion can no longer be held, Naruto has discarded the lie and decided to show his embracing of the Shinobi way. Intelligent Naruto. CRA used as a political weapon. No Lemon.
1. The Mask Dissolves

**Prologue**

_**The Mask Dissolves**_

Kakashi Hatake was not exactly in the best of moods as he walked through the halls of the hospital for the entrance that he knew would soon be the portal for the entrance of his erstwhile student. Of course, no one would believe that looking at him since he kept such a lackadaisical look at all times. But, with the knowledge that the Snake Sannin, Orochimaru, had an inordinate interest in his young Sharingan-equipped charge, he was left chilled and intent on training his young Uchiha student to the best of his ability in the month that he was given before the Chunin Exam finals.

Unfortunately, much to a part of himself's dismay, left no time for his other student. The son of his late sensei and hero of Konoha. But, sometimes the needs of the many outweighed the needs of the few, with the knowledge of both the Suna Jinchuriki being Sasuke's match and the specter of Orochimaru looming over the Chunin Exams, he had to sacrifice Naruto's training.

That wasn't to say that he wasn't going to have someone train Naruto, but there was no logical way that Naruto could beat the Hyuuga prodigy. He had looked at it from every single angle and he could not find that any possibility that Naruto could win. It was all for the best though, Naruto wasn't ready for Chunin, he was too young, too brash, and he just didn't have the makings of a good ninja. That was part his failing as the blond had grown up, and the partially Konoha itself. The stigma of being the container of Kyuubi had prevented anyone from adequately raising the boy or even training him. It was a miracle that he had become a genin in the first place, the luck of being able to master a kinjutsu saving him from failing the tests again.

Still, that was the past and this was the present. Ebisu may be a moron, but he was at least dependable in providing a modicum of structure for Naruto to improve himself on. Hopefully the rumors of Jiraiya being nearby were well-founded, it was more than likely that as soon as Jiraiya became aware of Naruto's situation he would swoop in and provide training specifically tailored to Naruto that he could not.

Speaking of the kid, Kakashi mused as he walked into the main lobby of the hospital, where Naruto was busy clamoring to see Sasuke, only to be denied. He noted the looks on the attendants' faces, sighing internally.

"Naruto," he called out, "this is a hospital. Keep it down."

Objective achieved, Naruto's attention had shifted from the nurses to him, the blond's face lit up at his presence, driving the dagger of muted guilt into his gut. His sensei's son trusted him and he was abandoning him because sacrifices had to be made.

"Kakashi-sensei," the boy cried running up to him as he came to a stop, "I've got a favor to ask!"

_Which I cannot honor_, he added silently, looking down upon him.

"You don't need to say it all. I thought it would come to this, so I searched for someone to watch your training."

The look on Naruto's face drove that guilt further to the forefront, _sacrifices must be made_, he tried reasoning with it, knowing it was a lost cause. It was a cheap excuse based upon the premise that Sasuke just had better potential and he could train Sasuke easier because Sasuke, for all of his faults, could at least sit still and absorb the knowledge given to him without getting excited and screaming to the heavens. It was just a massive differential in personalities, that's what it was. Naruto was just too different.

"Why?! I want you to, Kakashi-sensei," he demanded, sticking a finger in his face in demand, though he could easily take it as a silent accusation, once again, he had put Sasuke before Naruto.

"I have some matters to take care of," he lied, he knew it was a lie, but lies were sometimes the best salves to a growing personality. The Shinobi world was a harsh place, and sometimes, harshness was warranted.

"I don't have the time to trouble myself with you."

"You're going to train Sasuke, aren't you," again with the finger pointed right at him.

"Don't say that. I found a sensei who's more reliable than I am," he simply stated, watching as Ebisu walked up behind Naruto.

"It's me," Ebisu declared, suddenly he found himself thankful, now Ebisu could take Naruto's energetic behavior and allow him to focus on Sasuke…

But then everything seemed wrong. Instead of Naruto turning to face Ebisu as he expected him to do, making a scene of the situation, nothing happened. Instead, head turned slightly, his eyes shifting in the direction to Ebisu for a moment before coming back to him, the smile was gone, replaced with…a blank expression, the light in the blue eyes seemed to dim, they seem tired if anything.

What was bringing this on, he could only think as he watched his student suddenly change personalities in an instant.

"I…see," Naruto finally stated, the voice seemed duller, no, not more dull, just tired and with a hint of jadedness? Naruto? Jaded? That couldn't be possible.

"Such insolence," Ebisu spoke, adjusting his sunglasses, "I'm here to train you-"

But Naruto seemed to already tune him out, instead the blonde's eyes came to his own. There was an immense sadness to them that caused him, a jounin, to flinch.

"You know," Naruto finally started, "I'm glad, Kakashi. You don't have to hide your lack of interest in me anymore, now you have a legitimate reason to not focus on training me. No longer do you have lie to me about training, giving me barely the basics while you dote upon Sasuke and give a bit of training to Sakura, not much, but a bit more than me."

Naruto's eyes closed as he took a deep breath, the chill running down Kakashi's spine.

"Naruto, I don't-"

"Please, don't lie to me," there was no rise in the voice, no Naruto-isms, just calm, cool, collected, "you and I both know that Sasuke has been the apple in your eyes since day one, if we hadn't passed the genin exam you would have been able to individually train Sasuke, but Sakura and I threw sand in the gears of that plan. I don't blame you, honestly, I don't, Sasuke is too much like you to be ignored, you can train him in so many things while I, on the other hand, what do I know? I barely passed the Academy, but then again, no one spent the time actually taking a look at how and what I was being taught and how I was being taught to fail. But we both know the reason behind that, don't we. Kakashi-sensei."

He felt like he was being slapped, yet it even worsened as the blue eyes opened once again, he didn't find himself staring into the eyes of his student, no, he found himself staring in eyes too much like his sensei's silently judging him and casting a verdict.

"Just remember your hypocrisy, Kakashi. You told all three of us that in the ninja world, those who break the rules are scum, but those who abandon their friends, or their _students_, are worse than scum. You abandoned Sakura and I, therefore you are worse than scum."

"Now, listen here-" Ebisu started, only to freeze when Naruto's head swiveled around and cast a glare down on him, the killer intent pinning him down like a bug on the wall.

_Such raw power! Is it Kyuubi_, he thought, but he saw no sign of the foul red chakra that signified the presence of the plague that had wrought so much death and destruction upon Konoha.

"Naruto, you are reading too much into this, Sasuke needs the training-."

"Because he's fighting the jinchuriki of the Ichibi," Naruto finished, his eyes widened at his students bluntness and knowledge, where did it come from, how could he know? What was going on?!

"I know, Kakashi, but that's no excuse. What if you spent just a bit more time with each of us? What if you trained Sakura and I just a bit more? Maybe what happened in the Forest of Death could have happened differently. If you had just spent a little more time on the both of us, but that doesn't matter anymore. What can I learn from someone who cannot look underneath the underneath as he so claims? But it doesn't matter anymore, you won't have to worry about me-"

"Naruto, you need to change your tone, you are-"

"Kakashi Hatake," Naruto declared, his voice raising an octave, cutting through what he was going to say, silencing him like a Raikiri to the chest, "I, Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze, hereby resign my position on Team 7, effective immediately. My parents would have been so disappointed in what you have become."

Before he could say more, the blond disappeared in a yellow flash, Kakashi's heart stopped as he realized exactly what he had just seen and what his student had just declared.

_Kami, what have I done, _he could only wonder.

* * *

So, this is the first Naruto Fanfiction I ever have done. I actually blame an amv "(A Naruto AMV with the title Already Over by xAdsuailx) for planting the seed in my head that just wouldn't go away no matter how much I quashed it, so I decided to put it down. Hopefully, November will be when it's next few chapters are written, but I have other fics I have to worry about (Catharsis desperately needs and update, as well as Ice and Fire.)

This all comes down to how much time I have, in between my other fics, the work I have been doing on The Illusive Emperor (A Code Geass/Mass Effect Crossover) has allowed me probably a good month to take it easy as soon as the next chapter is finished being written. Also, I start my Teacher Observations this upcoming term, which means whatever schedule I have can go straight to hell as soon as I get the news on where I will be teaching (here's hoping it's my old high school stomping grounds).

Well, that and the plethora of games both in my quiver and incoming. Pokemon, Mario, Zelda, Diablo 3, GTAV, Arkham Origins, Battlefield 4, Ghosts, and so on and so forth.

Anyways, just bear in mind, this is just the prologue, the next chapter will reveal what has caused this Naruto, and no, he isn't going to be a genius Naruto, just different in how he is.

Til next time, hope you leave some reviews.


	2. Everything is a Lie

**Chapter 1**

_**Everything is a Lie...**_

The choice to reveal a portion of what had lain underneath the illusion he had concocted had been one of the hardest choices Naruto Uzumaki had made in his short life. But it was probably the most necessary of decisions he realized as he silently moved through the cluttered streets of Konoha, a _**henge **_the only thing between him, recognition, and subsequent harassment by more than just the villagers, but the ones he knew that would soon be pursuing him for answers.

It wasn't that he wished to hide from them, well, maybe it was a bit of that, but it was more strategy than anything. He needed time to observe and prepare for what he knew was the subsequent reaction to the lit explosive note he had dropped into the shinobi community. There was no way his sensei, he had to resist the bile that rose to his gorge every time he used that term loosely for the silver-haired Jounin that had been his father's student, would not report it to Hokage-jiji. After all, he had blatantly used his father's signature _**Hiraishin no Jutsu**_ in front of Kakashi, Ebisu, and about six other people. It was a trump card that would immediately cause people to take a look at him not as the idiot he had built himself as, but as something a lot more serious, and quite possibly a lot more dangerous.

Of course, the question would then become if the Kyuubi was controlling him. A possibility, albeit statistically slim, that could not be ignored by Konoha as a whole. The furball was the reason he was the village pariah in the first place, causing such widespread destruction and claiming so many lives in the process. No, the Hokage will summon him shortly as soon as he had gathered enough information on what had happened in the hospital, he wasn't The Professor for nothing. So he maybe had half an hour to an hour at most before the Hokage summoned him.

Normally, he would withdraw to his own private grounds, but the time frame was not good enough for such a measure, and he wanted eyes on the village to get a sense of the atmosphere before he decided on his next move.

He was no Nara in intellect, but he was capable of reading and manipulating emotions quite well. After all, he wouldn't have been able to hold the grandest of lies for so long if not for that. Being the subject of an entire village's scorn was an otherworldly educational experience that had kept him alive long enough for it to matter.

Slipping into the alleyway he glanced around, checking to see that no one was watching him, taking another moment to look up, not covering all possibilities could be deadly at the wrong time, he then quickly made a quick handsign and summoned a _**Kage Bunshin **_before using another _**Henge**_ to disguise himself again, this time as a woman while his _**Kage Bunshin **_retained his original _**Henge **_look, satisfied, he slipped out of the alley way, making sure to adjust "her" clothes to look like he and his clone had done something illicit in the alley before doubling back the way he came.

It was simple, when being looked for the least likely place anyone would spend time lookig is the datum from whence you came. But the datum in question was also the location where his secondary objective was, the objective that had caused him to analyze his circumstances and realize that he could not maintain the charade if he was going to honor his word to her. So he was achieving two objectives instead of just one in this single move.

Coming to the front of the hospital, he made one more quick scan of his surroundings, making sure that no one was paying attention to him before stepping up the wall and quickly moving up and into the room of his choice.

He had made sure when he had entered the hospital before that he had already slipped in another _**Kage Bunshin** _to observe and survey the hospital. He had been able to learn where his target had been placed, a quick dispel later and he had the knowledge that he was using to effect now.

Coming to the window, he slid it open, before slipping in and closing it as silently as he could. He knew there were two Hyuuga on the other side of the door to the room acting as sentries. So secure in the knowledge that the Hyuuga heiress could not be threatened, it almost made him want to cry. Did no one understand that there were no defenses that could deter an enemy that was determined to succeed no matter what?

Shaking that thought off, he looked over at the subject of his current situation, Hinata Hyuuga, heiress to the Hyuuga clan, and probably the only girl who actually had feelings for him in Konoha.

The last tidbit of information was one of the more difficult pieces for him to handle over the years. The idea that anyone, especially one of pretty much royal blood, could have feelings for him. Of course adding to the situation, he had created the cage, oh the irony of that description, in which he could not acknowledge or even dare reciprocate such affections. That wasn't to say he loved her or anything, he honestly did not know. Love was one of those fickle things that escaped his comprehension for the time being, because to love and be loved meant that there were no barriers or deception within it, even he understood Hokage-jiji's affection wasn't likely to truly be love as defined as much as it was merely the manifestation of a caretaker looking over his charge. He was after all too much of an investment to let go to waste. But that was another maze to explore, his focus was solely upon Hinata right now. The Hokage could wait for a few more minutes, he had waited six years for this bombshell, what were a few more?

Unfortunately, though, Hinata was sound asleep, judging by the rhythmic breathing. Dropping his _**Henge**_, he settled into a chair that had been placed beside her bedside, probably for someone who cared, he doubted Hiashi would spend a minute looking over his daughter. No, it was probably her sensei, Kurenai Yuuhi, who had pulled up the chair.

Choosing between simply leaving and just observing her, he found the irony in just the decision to just sit there and watch her, mimicking the very thing she had done to him so many times over the years. If it wasn't so improperly timed, it would be ironic.

Of course, everything must come to an end, as he perked up to the sound of the door opening, he quickly slid into the corner, intent on watching who entered before he bade a swift withdrawal.

However, the retreat option died down as he realized who it was, Kurenai's shocked expression at sighting him was stifled as he held up a finger to his lips, keeping her silent as he nodded to the door that finally closed, allowing them privacy.

"Naruto," she murmured, quietly "what are you doing here?"

He tilted his head for a moment, before nodding towards Hinata.

"I came to check up on Hinata," he admitted, keeping his tone even, he had to check himself before he had acted like his old idiot self, it would probably take some time to firmly stamp out the persona he had worn for so long, "how is she?"

"She's doing better," Kurenai admitted, looking to Hinata, "the doctors have fixed the damage. She'll make a full recovery."

"That's good," he returned as amicably as he could, flashing her a small smile, which caused her to frown, a look of confusion passing her features.

"Why are you here? Shouldn't you be training and getting ready for the Exams?"

Exactly what he didn't want to discuss, but, it was Kurenai, odds are she was probably aware of his former sensei's...failures.

"I don't have an instructor," he stated simply with a shrug, not like he needed them for what they would try and teach him, but Hinata's sensei didn't need to know that part, "Kakashi decided that Sasuke required his full attention and I resigned my position in Team 7, I'm not going to receive any training."

"What do you mean you resigned from Team 7, Naruto," Kurenai hissed, her expression one of shock, but anything further pursuit of answers died on her lips.

"Naruto," came the mumbled words of Hinata through the breathing mask, as her lavender-tinted eyes fluttered open, her chest rising just a bit further as she drew a deeper breath before coughing, her strained body protesting the exertion.

Naruto slid past Kurenai before she could even protest, reaching Hinata's side in a blur that surprised the jounin sensei.

Hinata's eyes met his own, even as he offered a small smile. He knew if she wasn't in such bad shape she would probably faint right away at his proximity.

She opened her mouth to say something, but he held up a finger to his lips, shaking his head. He knew what she was going to ask, as much as he despised that elitist 'prodigy', he would not hurt Hinata's feelings and wishes. She was too kind for her own good at times, but that was what made her a lot stronger in his estimation than many shinobi.

"I understand."

Hinata looked at him, before a faint smile crossed her features. The moment passed, her eyes slid back shut, the strain of just waking to the sound of his name was too much for her to continue any longer.

He wanted to stay a bit longer, but he knew his time was up. He could sense the ANBU at the edge of his sensor periphery approaching quickly. Instead he looked at Kurenai for a moment.

"Take care of her, I'll see about checking in on her in a few days, but I guarantee nothing."

Then, he reached out to the telltale signature that he knew was in the Hokage's office, the seal signature necessary for his jutsu.

And then to Kurenai's eyes he disappeared in a yellow flash.

And he was in the office of the Hokage, eyes widening at his entrance as he dropped from midair to his feet before Hiruzen Sarutobi's desk.

"You have summoned me, Hokage-sama," he stated with respect, noting the shocked expression on the Hokage's face, the pipe hitting the desk with a clatter. In the corner of his vision, Kakashi was there pale as a sheet like he'd seen a ghost, which was pretty close to the fact.

Fighting back the irritation that tugged at the corner of his consciousness, he focused his attention solely at the man he considered like a grandfather. A complex dichotomy, when you really get down to it, considering the man was the Hokage of the village and he was the jinchuriki of it. The emotional side of him wanted to believe that Hokage-jiji actually cared for and loved him deeply, but the more cynical logic side of him analyzed and recognized that it would be in the best interest of control if the Hokage presented himself as a grandfatherly figure. The man had willingly hid his tenant and his lineage, for what logical objective he still had yet to understand, but that didn't mean he couldn't trust him. At least Sarutobi had balanced the villlage's interest with his own, even if there was little that could be described as his own interest.

"Naruto," the elder started, "Kakashi has informed that you have tendered your resignation from Team 7. Is that true?"

_Ignoring the elephant in the room and going for the small fry first, probably unwise, but I can understand from a detail oriented perspective, _Naruto mused, using his thoughts to hold back the urge to glance over at his former sensei.

"That is correct, Hokage-sama. I have personally informed Jounin Hatake that I feel that my presence within Team 7 is a destabilizing influence and distracts the team synergy from what is necessary to adequately meet the needs of Genin Uchiha and Genin Haruno in their development. Jounin Hatake agreed with those sentiments. Faced with this agreement, I felt it that it would be beneficial to everyone involved that I tender my resignation and seek alternative means of fulfilling my status as a shinobi of Konoha, pending final review by yourself, of course."

It was a lie, but it was a necessary lie. If the Hokage wrote a report it would reflect his words, if he had decided to speak the truth, Kakashi's Jounin career would be destroyed, and as much as he wanted to do that, Kakashi had too much good to him to satisfy such petty vindictiveness. By stating what he had, he would allow Kakashi the opportunity to remedy his flaws for Sakura and Sasuke's sake. He was salvageable, but just barely.

That and Kakashi would owe him quite a bit after this sugarcoating. He would make sure to cash in on that debt when it was necessary.

"I see," the Hokage replied sagely, his hat shielding his eyes from view, but Naruto knew by the angle of it he was boring holes into Kakashi with his eyes, "Naruto, you do realize what you have done is highly irregular."

"Yes. But it was necessary, I could not offer enough to the team to enhance its success rate," again, a well-manicured lie, but with what was on the record so far, no one could dispute it, he was the dead last and a drain on the team itself, "there are probably several genins after the latest Chunin Exams who had lost some of their members that could replace me. It would only be appropriate considering the circumstances."

But the objective was met, the Hokage's expression hardening even as his eyes flitted towards Kakashi. He didn't say anything for a good minute, intent on recollecting his pipe, refilling it, and lighting it up. He took a deep drag of it before letting it out, smoke filling the room.

"Very well then, Naruto. I will accept your resignation from Team 7. However, you understand there will be repercussions for your actions."

"Hai."

"Now, Naruto, would you kindly explain to me what is going on?"

He looked around, casting a cursory glance where he knew the four ANBU guards for the Hokage were.

"I'll only explain it to you and you alone, Hokage-sama, I ask that everyone else leave. Familial considerations."

"Naruto, are you sure , Kakashi-"

"Will be informed when he needs to be and no sooner, Hokage-sama," he interrupted as cordially as he could, "your acceptance of my resignation officially dissolves the sensei-student relationship between myself and Jounin Hatake. I no longer am required nor do I feel inclined to share S-rank information outside of the normal chain of custody that exists for the the purpose of information security. Ergo, I refuse to share, as is my right as a shinobi of Konoha, sensitive information with him, and humbly request that you honor my wishes."

It took a few moments for them to understood, he knew that, after all, they still had the illusion of the loud, obnoxious, and clueless Naruto Uzumaki, not the calm, precise, and intelligent reality that existed in front if them.

He had to resist to laugh as he heard one of the ANBU, Neko he was pretty sure, murmur "Kai".

The look though on the Hokage's face though was both a mixture of shock and resignation, he suddenly looked even older than he was.

"Kakashi, ANBU, please leave us."

The shuffle was all he needed to hear as he kept at attention. The closing of the door all he needed to hear to know they are alone.

He watched as the Hokage slowly took off his ceremonial hat and sat it down on the table, massaging his temples before he activated a silencing seal in the room, the 'pop' in his ears letting Naruto know that they were secure.

"Well, Naruto," he started with a wan smile, "let's hear it."

_And Here we go_, Naruto thought as he focused upon himself.

"Kai," he whispered, the final mask dissolving before his grandfather figure.

He knew what the Hokage was seeing before him. The orange jumpsuit faded away like the illusion it had been for years now giving way to proper ninja attire of dark blue shinobi pants and shirt. The short sun-kissed blond hair lengthened into something akin to his father even as he grew several centimeters in height, the scrawny and weak body fading into a healthy body reflective of his age and the training he put through it over the years. He knew he looked like his father, it was the way he honored him, just like he honored his mother in another way.

"I know everything Hokage-sama. My parents and my tenant."

"How?"

Then he explained.

* * *

_Six Years Ago_

_Stupid, stupid, stupid, seven-year-old Naruto Uzumaki berated himself as he sprinted as fast as he could through the residential district, his lungs aching from the exertion, blood sliding down his right arm from the nick in his shoulder from a thrown shuriken._

_It had been his best prank yet. Slip into the Konoha Military Police headquarters and place bright orange paintballs in various traps. That would brighten the disposition of those always gloomy Uchihas that always seemed to have it out for him._

_Unfortunately, he had been discovered and now he was fleeing as if his life depended on it, Uchihas in hot pursuit._

_He knew if they caught him they'd punish him severely. They always did._

_Running into an alleyway, he stopped to catch his breath, desperately trying to catch his breath, his back pressed firmly against the wall._

_He knew they were coming, but he couldn't get anymore out of his body, everything hurt and didn't want to do anything more than just rest._

_He froze as he heard the faint sound of feet hitting a hard surface above him, causing him to look up to the night sky._

_It was as he did that he suddenly found himself falling backwards, the wall no longer the firm ground it had been. He landed on his back suddenly, his eyes catching the wall as it resealed itself, the light showing some type of odd work on the eall before it disappeared again, leaving him in darkness that only lasted a moment before he was bathed in light._

_What was that, he wondered, followed by a where am I?_

_Looking around, he noted he was in some sort of room, white nondescript walls with no real features. There was a large bed in one corner with a desk, near it. There was a cabinet with weird artwork in the center in black ink._

_Curiosity getting the better of him, the wound on his arm starting to close up finally, he carefully moved to the desk, deciding to look through the contents._

_He laughed with glee as he opened a drawer to find a wierd tri-pronged kunai. It was the greatest discovery of his life! Finally he had a real kunai and not those blunted or deformed kunai._

_Swinging the kunai around, everything that has happened was forgotten. He was one step closer to becoming a Shinobi._

_"Watch out Jiji," he cried with a laugh, "I'm gonna take that hat real soon."_

_The kunai suddenly flew out of his hand, slamming into a dust covered picture frame, knocking it off and causing it to shatter on the floor._

_"Oh no," he cried, running towards the frame, the natural reaction of any seven year old when they broke something, prepare to hide it._

_Only he stopped as he saw what was in the picture frame. The dust that had covered it no longer blocking what was behind it._

_In the picture frame was young man and a woman. The man had spiked blond hair dressed in ninja garb smiling at the camera, the woman dressed in ninja gear on the other hand had red hair that swept down her back with the largest grin on her face while she flashed a peace sign._

_He stopped, his young mind grappling with the image of a doppleganger smile right in front of him. It was exactly like his own._

_He almost immediately recognized as a younger version of the Yondaime, it was unmistakeable, he couldn't not recognize the visage of his hero._

_But who was this woman with him? Why did he feel like he should know her?_

_He wasn't exactly the smartest kid, but it took a certain level of intelligence to be able to prank just about anyone and evade Chunin and even Jounin. That part if his brain was wracking itself._

_Why had he been able to come here? That had obvious been a seal of some sort that had caused him to phase through the wall. The one incident with an explosive tag had taught him to recognize a seal when he saw it._

_So why did it react to him? He would have heard if someone had found a room like this, anything related to the Yondaime was sacrosanct. If it had been discovered it would have been the talk of the village._

_Which meant the seal was keyed to something._

_His eyes shifted over to the cabinet. The art must be a seal of some sort and if this place had a special trigger seal, then this must as well. So how did he trigger it? What did he do to do it? He was leaning against the wall, out of breath, and bleeding from-_

_That had to be it, he thought, as he he grabbed the kunai again and walked over to the cabinet, hand gripped tightly around the kunai as he felt nervous as he stood before the cabinet. He placed his unblooded hand upon the seal, holding it for a few seconds but nothing happened. He then brought that same hand back as he brought up the kunai and brought it across the hand, wincing as he felt metal slice into flesh. Blood beginning to flow from his hand, he brought it down into the middle of the art._

_"Yatta," he cried, his suspicions confirmed as the art lit up, the seal reacting to his blood, the audible sound of a click echoing in the near empty room._

_He then opened it, his eyes wide as saucers as the cabinet was revealed to have the ornate cloak with the kanji for 'Fire' on it, it was the cloak of the Yondaime, he couldn't believe it. It was definitely the best thing ever, he grabbed the cloak off the hook, noting absently even more of those tri-pronged kunai and a bunch of scrolls in the walls. But his sole focus was on the cloak as he gathered it up and gingerly put it on, making sure to avoid placing his bloody hand upon the fabric of his hero. The clothing was way too big for him, but that didn't matter._

_He then the next half an hour running around the room, fighting invisible enemies. It the happiest moment in his life by far, he was so close to his hero, he could just imagine being Hokage now. Eventually, he collapsed upon the bed, now completely out of breath and exhausted. The adrenaline and euphoria wearing away, leaving questions that needed answering._

_But that could wait for now, he thought with a smile as he wrapped himself with the cloak and swiftly fell asleep. _

* * *

Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Sandaime Hokage, could only watch as the boy he had considered as a son calmly and clinically told him what had happened to begin the changes to what he was now. It was unbelievable. No, inconceivable, that the boy before him was the very same that had begged him for ramen, cheerfully declared that he would be Hokage, who turned to him for guidance time and again, and treated him like a grandfather he never had.

What was before him, on the other hand, was something entirely different, almost scarily so. And because of it, he realized how much of a failure he was not for seeing exactly underneath the facade that Naruto had created.

The question was why he had done it? Why had he decided to hide all of this from him, the closest thing to family he had.

He cut off his thoughts as he realized Naruto had gone silent, waiting for him to speak.

"And?"

"It took me a week to finally piece it together. The process was slower than anticipated because I was barred from entering the library because of my condition. I took me mastering _**henge **_in order to slip in. After that, it was easy to access the casualty rolls of the Kyuubi attack, since it was the only logical time my mother could have been killed, anytime later would have been noteworthy since people would know who my mother was. Then again, the answer was quite easy to figure out, there was only one Uzumaki who passed away during the Kyuubi attack. But imagine my shock to discover that the woman in that picture was my mother."

Naruto's expression hadn't changed the entire time, nor his demeanor, he still remained at attention, his eyes directed at him, but he had experienced it long enough to know barely contained emotions that were threatening to break loose behind the mask that Naruto was wearing. It was so evident in his eyes, a storm just like his namesake.

"Why?"

That one word, fraught with so many meanings, so many emotions, was the very essence of this moment. A simple word for such a complex situation that not even he, the Sandaime Hokage, The God of Shinobi, truly had an answer for.

"For your protection," were the only words to escape his lips.

"I already know that," Naruto responded, the first sign of emotion being a crack of anger in his voice, "my father and mother had made plenty of enemies in Iwa and Kumo, especially Iwa. If it was revealed that they had a child and that the child was the jinchuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune, they would have moved heaven and earth to eliminate or capture me. No, I want to know is why you left me at the mercy of the village. Do you realize exactly how utterly stupid that decision was? I have spent thirteen years of my life with a target on my back that would only need one gutsy villager or shinobi to decide on a suicide run to eliminate me and you would not only lose me, but you would have the Kyuubi knocking on the village gates in nine years, and he most certainly would not have been here for a friendly house call either."

He visibly calmed down as Hiruzen could only bow his head in shame, taking a deep breath.

"Not only that, but I would have been unaware of my tenant for the first twelve years of my life. If knowledge is power, Hokaga-sama, then the lack thereof is weakness. All it would take is the Kyuubi to make a move at my weakest moment and I might have accepted his help, not even aware of what he could do, simply because he would _listen_ to me. Do you know how much it hurts to be the village pariah, Hokage-sama, to have almost everyone hate you and not have a clue as to why? I would wish it upon no one, death is more preferable. I spent so many nights until I knew sobbing in bed just praying to _anyone_ that someone out there would just treat me like a human being. _Yet_ _I was alone in my suffering!"_

_I'm so sorry Minato, Kushina, I could have done so much more and I didn't. I didn't know the depths of despair to which Naruto had fallen if I had known, I would have done so much.  
_

"When I discovered my lineage, and my tenant, I decided, then and there, that I would become the best I could possibly be to honor the sacrifices of my parents, even if no one else would. I vowed to become the strongest shinobi possible and be recognized for who and what I am, Kyuubi and all. This," he motioned to himself, "is the fruition of all of that hard labor and secrecy. Thanks to knowledge that my blood was a key, I chose to take all of the knowledge and notes left behind by my family to make myself stronger and smarter."

"And why didn't you approach me," he asked, watching as the Naruto's mask had slipped back into place, "if you knew so much, then why didn't you confront me."

"Because I couldn't trust you, Hokage-sama," Naruto snapped, eyes flashing dangerously, "trust is a two way street, and you refused to tell me the truth, in fact, you lied to me so many times what was I supposed to do? I didn't know what your intentions were with me or even if they were honorable. The only information I did have was that you continuously lied to me, were the Hokage, and I was the weapon of the village. You were an unknown quantity and I could not risk divulging that information to you because I did not know how you would react."

"And all of these years? You've been keeping this illusion why? You could have easily been a chunin by now, maybe even a Jounin."

"Because the village would not allow it, Hokage-sama. You underestimate the fear of the Kyuubi that permeates within this village, it is a psychological wound that festers because it has gone untreated all of these years. Suppressing the people from talking about it only made it worse, not better. It's still there, simmering underneath the surface just waiting for an opportunity to be released. If I showed my true potential, they would have wasted no time accusing the Kyuubi of controlling me and that I must be eliminated. There would be only so much you could do to protect me, from both the villagers and those who lie in the shadows awaiting their chance at power. No, the only solution was to hide the truth and quietly prepare for the day in which I could actually reveal myself in a believable fashion. Unfortunately, Kakashi's fixation on pushing Sasuke forward curtailed any of my long-term plans when he signed us up for the Chunin Exams. But then he had the unmitigated gall to give me Ebisu as my training sensei for the Finals. It doomed every single plan I had created. There is no way in Kami I could have believably defeated Neji for Hinata's sake if Ebisu was training me, the man honestly hates me and believes I'm commoner filth. And everyone knows it! He would have done everything in his power to sabotage my training. So, I decided to dispel the illusion, and here we are."

It was still a lot for him to wrap his mind around Naruto. He was easily a genius like his father if this was really Naruto and not Kyuubi, but he could not sense any of the foul chakra of the beast. Instead, all he sensed was Naruto standing before him, proudly and unflinchingly. The level of strategic insight, understanding of the political situation, ability to deceive an entire village for so long, and quietly improve himself without anyone noticing, it was unthinkable, yet, there was no doubt about it. Naruto Uzumaki was truly the most unpredictable ninja in Konoha, and in the midst of the sadness at losing the little boy who referred to him as Jiji with a bright smile and a ebullient demeanor, he took pride in the intelligent and mature beyond his years shinobi that stood before him. His parents would truly be proud of him.

"Naruto, my apologies will never be enough to make up for what has happened to you-"

"My apologies, Jiji, but you don't need to apologize. You made a judgment call, it may have been the wrong call in the long run, but it was the call you believed was the right one. Am I angry with you? Betrayed a bit? Yes and yes. But a shinobi's life is one of hardship and I've endured in for the better. In fact, if anyone should be thanking you it should be me. I would not be who I am if not for what you did. I could have ended up much worse," he offered with a sardonic smirk, "I could have ended up like the precious Uchiha-sama, arrogant and spoiled. I'm grateful to you, in spite of the thorns along the way."

"Nonetheless, Naruto, I humbly request that you accept my deepest apologies, to you, Minato, and Kushina."

"Apology accepted, Jiji-san," a faint glimmer of the boy was his reward as Naruto smiled widely, his eyes sliding shut in that all-too-familiar fox-like grin.

He inwardly sighed, at least glad that there was a hint of that boy in there, it was small recompense for all of the sins he had committed against the young man before.

"I know this may seem improperly timed, and I do apologize Naruto, but I need to know what you are capable of. Since this is the real you?"

Naruto stiffened just slightly, his eyes sliding shut for a split moment before opening again.

"I think I said enough by mentioning my family's knowledge. I would prefer to keep some of my abilities close to my chest until after the Chunin Exams. But, I will admit that my Hiraishin is only capable of transporting me limited distances, I have not been able to manage transporting people with the jutsu, and I can't place the seal on objects yet, so I'm limited to whatever kunai I carry with the seal on them. As for my capabilities, my ninjutsu is anywhere between mid chunin to jounin level, I can't get anymore specific until I am tested, taijutsu is middle to high chunin with some glimpses of very low Jounin, genjutsu is...complicated, and my fuinjutsu is exceptional. In actuality, I could probably take a crack at Jounin and pass with a bit more experience. Though I'm more interested in taking a shot at joining ANBU."

_Kami, age thirteen and he's talking about joining ANBU? But then again, this is the new Naruto, if what he's claiming is correct, he might just have what it takes to do it. Though, I don't know if that is what Minato and Kushina would want, especially at his age._

"So it would be pointless for you to take the Chunin Exams, you are saying."

"No," Naruto responded harshly, "I want to do the Chunin Exams, I _have_ to do the Chunin Exams. There is no other way for me to be acknowledged, Jiji. I refuse to accept any gifts or breaks simply because of my skill or my lineage, I want to earn everything, one way or another. I would be selling my pledge to my parents short if I did it any other way."

"I see," he replied, stroking his goatee, "very well Naruto. I'll allow it, if you claim to be as good as you are, then I don't see any problem for you passing through the Chunin Exam with ease, and you would reduce the paperwork necessary for me if you do so," he motioned to the massive stacks to the side of his desk.

The blond smiled and nodded.

"I won't let you down, then, Jiji. I'll pass the Chunin Exams, and just you wait, give me a few more years and I'll be wearing that hat."

_That's the Naruto I know and love._

"I'll hold it to you then. You can leave now and do whatever you wish, just don't disappear so I can summon you if I have addition questions."

"Of course," Naruto replied, already turning and walking away with the wave of a hand, before stopping for a moment to look back, not at him, but beside him, a momentary frown crossing his face as he narrowed his eyes.

"Is there something wrong, Naruto?"

"No, Hokage-sama," the genin replied after a moment, "I thought I sensed someone else in here. It must have been my imagination, why would anyone smell of toads and cheap perfume?"

Then he was gone, but not before reverting to his previous appearance, Hiruzen's plastered on smile faded quickly as he turned to where Naruto had been looking only a few moments before. A faint shimmer appeared before it dissolved to reveal the familiar figure of his eccentric student.

"_That's Naruto?!"_

The Hokage could only sigh at his student's exclamation as he worked to relight his pipe, finding the need for the calming effects of the smoke.

"You're as surprised as I am, Jiraiya."

"If I didn't see it I wouldn't have believed it. The kid knows his father's signature jutsu, claims to have stats well above his status, and has been deceiving everyone, and I mean everyone including me, in this village. If I didn't know I was awake I would be asking if this was an alcohol-induced dream or head trauma courtesy of Tsunade. The kid looks like a miniature Minato."

He frowned deeper at the attempt of levity, Naruto's sudden revelation changed everything. With Orochimaru lurking in the shadows more than likely to strike against Konoha and intent on capturing the young Uchiha for Kami knows what, he had enough on his platter to deal with. But if Naruto was planning to go all out as he hinted at, then he would have problems internally as well, Danzo would kill to get his hands on the Yondaiime's techniques and Naruto, and Naruto showing a dramatic and inexplainable uptick in skill would give him the perfect excuse to move within the Council to take Naruto. He understood Naruto's logic, but Naruto was not privy to the larger picture.

"Jiraiya, I want you to train and keep an eye on Naruto."

"Old man, you know I was intending to do that in the first place."

"Well, I'm making it an order now, Jiriaya. That means no research trips for the time being. If Danzo has not been informed of Naruto's little exhibition yet, he will be soon enough. You know what that will mean."

Jiraiya nodded gravely.

"Well, I better get to the gaki then," the toad sannin declared, "find out exactly what I can train him, if anything."

He only nodded in response as Jiraiya slipped through the window and exited.

_Naruto, what am I going to do with you?_

* * *

A/N: And that's it for the first chapter. Working pretty uch every moment I had, even at work has provided this chapter. I actually doubled my old record by writing 1800 words on my phone while at work.

Next chapter we will get to see a bit of what lies underneath the underneath, so to speak. Hopefully it will be ready to post within the next three days, I have a final paper to mop up right now, then work this evening. Maybe I'll write another 1800 words on my phone.

Until then, leave a review and tell me what you think.


	3. And Nothing is the Truth

Slightly disappointed with the amount of reviews, but then again, two chapters in four days doesn't leave a lot of time for the updates to cumulate.

Or maybe it is true, this is cliche'd, after all, I haven't so far put forward anything new. Maybe the guest who wasted part of his life to read 7000 words to write a 2 word review was right. Maybe this fic is too cliche'd. Maybe I should just stop writing and focus on my other works.

Meh, who cares. Hopefully people will give me the opportunity to write this through. I'm not one of those guys who generally likes writing 10K+ word chapters, I like measuring based upon objectives, which each chapter so far has achieved the objective I have set out for it. Of course, that is the reason for the turnoff of course.

If y'all give me a few more chapters, hopefully there is something different, no guarantees of course, I've learned keeping my promises while writing is pretty hard to do. Just ask the people still waiting on updates to my Code Geass fics.

If you are curious as to where I might be taking the fic, fire me off a pm or just leave a question in the review box, I'm pretty good at responding back to queries.

Anyways, without further adieu, Chapter 2.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

_**...And Nothing is the Truth**_

After leaving the Hokage's office, Naruto had decided to simply wander around Konoha after slipping back into a henge in order to be able to continue to be unmolested. It was becoming more of a habit as time had come on until he did it as often as possible. That and the liberal use of shadow clones allowed him the ability to get a pulse of the village without anyone knowing the better.

He could see why it was such a useful intelligence tool and one that he was not going to make anyone aware of until he was satisfied he no longer needed it. It's worth as an early warning network to possible threats on his life had allowed him to avoid a handful of the more dedicated attempts to kill the 'demon spawn' over the years.

After checking with his 'contacts', he decided to that he had enough time to grab a quick bite. However, he decided not to go to Ichiraku's, but a sushi bar. He loved Ichiraku's, he loved ramen, but ramen simply could not feed and sustain a growing shinobi, the exorbitant amount of salt and lack of necessary nutrients had quickly reduced ramen to a comfort food over the last couple of years.

Unfortunately, his Uzumaki persona was a textbook case of ramen addiction, which meant he had to eat ramen in public no matter what, in extreme amounts. Any deviation would be noticed and measured. Instead, every single time the Hokage visited him to splurge him on ramen, he always had a _**Kage Bunshin**_ take his place to do it. It was only times when he was caught flat footed or simply wanted to have a quick bowl of ramen did he eat it. Other than that, it was _**Kage**_** Bunshin** food, not that any of them complained of it.

Instead, he shifted almost completely to healthy and nutritious foods to fuel his necessary growth, which was why he frequented sushi shops more often than not when he didn't cook for himself.

All sudden urges to go and eat died as he stopped, his senses alerting him that he was being followed. It was more than a feeling than anything substantive. But he could not ignored any possible threat, which meant he needed to confirm it without tipping his hand to his possible stalker.

_Nearest **Kage Bunshin** is about a block away checking on the dango shop. He should be positioned at the window, so let's get some eyes on this guy._

Changing directions , he made sure to walk right by the dango shop bringing his hand up to cover his mouth as he yawned before running his thumb over his nose and then finishing with a fist as he finished the yawn.

It was a subtle signal he had worked with his clones to indicate that he was being followed. Now all he had to do was wait.

A few blocks later he got his answer, the _**Kage Bunshin**_'s memories flooding into his mind. Shuffling through and discarding some of the information, like Anko hitting on the _**Kage**_ **Bunshin**, creepy, he found what he was looking for: a young woman following behind him dressed in civilian garb. It was more than likely a _**Henge**_, which could do anything other than hide the eyes generally speaking, and the eyes easily gave away his follow because there was no life in them, the telltale eyes of an operative of ROOT.

So_ you've sent one of your pawns to stalk me, eh, Danzo, _he thought derisively as he continued on his walk.

Probably one of the most important things his father had left was a set of journals he had written in over the years. They contained everything, private thoughts, personal notes, even some pictures. Yet in those journals were several entries about Danzo Shimura, the Director of ROOT. Nothing good had been said of him and Naruto had decided to give the man a wide berth.

Of course, he knew full well his display would get back to the mummified shinobi sooner or later. He just didn't expect it within two hours.

_Looks like I will have to adjust my visibility accordingly_, he thought as he slipped into an alleyway and placed his hand on the wall, activating the seal that allowed him to phase through the wall and into a safehouse. Just as he began to phase through, he summoned a _**Kage Bunshin**_ and left it at the alley to _**Hiraishin**_ away as soon as the Root nin came into the alley.

That done and phased into the safehouse, he shed his _**Henge**_ before slipping out of his clothes to head to the small bathroom, intent on taking a shower.

Stepping into the shower stall, he turned the knob to allow the hot water to wash away the grime, sweat, and tension that wracked his body as he allowed himself to close his eyes and relax.

Keeping up the illusion of his body was an incredibly taxing thing, both physically and mentally. A constant _**H**__**enge**_ required an inordinate amount of chakra to maintain and and it got even worse when in combat. It was only because of the fuzzball in his gut that he had the chakra to manage the illusion. But that didn't mean that the _**Henge**_ was his only line of defense, he also added a subtle genjutsu to layer the _**H**__**enge**_, using the bleed of his chakra as the catalyst for the genjutsu to improve the _**Henge**_ in order to disguise it from doujutsu users and close range attackers.

Of course, Orochimaru came the closest to destroying the illusion in the Forest of Death. It was only thanks to the sealed countermeasures that kicked in when it sensed a chakra disruption did he have enough time to remove the _**Gogyo Fujin**_ that Orochimaru had slapped on him and restored his chakra flow with a _**Gogyo Kaiin**_ of his own. He'd have to remember to pay the Snake back later for that near-disaster and the damage he had wrought on Sasuke and Sakura. That had been the second time that he had questioned his choice of maintaining the illusion, it had been such a close thing, if Orochimaru had not been in a playful mood he would have had to risk performing an incomplete _**Hiraishin**_ to get them to safety, a potentially dangerous move.

Dismissing those thoughts and suitably refeshed he slipped out of the shower and proceeded to dry himself off and looked in the mirror after wrapping the towel around his waist to inspect the various seals all over his body hiding weapons, scrolls, and other necessary items for the ninja life.

Taking a few more minutes to visually inspect each and every one more closer, he then changed into a new set of clothes, making sure to fold and lay out his old clothes for another one of his _**Kage Bunshin**_ to clean later. He then took the time to grab a quick bite of an onigiri that he washed down with a tea and then grabbed a small backpack and checked himself over one more time. Satisfied, he located the _**Hiraishin**_ seal he wanted and teleported to his apartment's bathroom.

Now he could finally go and spend some time and relax on the Hokage...

He froze, his senses telling him something was wrong just as he planted his hand on the doorknob.

Instinctively he slipped a kunai into his hand even as he slowly opened the door eyeing through the crack that he made in the door before his nose caught that scent again, the scent of cheap perfume and toads. No wonder his seals hadn't even alerted him of their tampering and an intruder, his uninvited guest could only be one person.

Opening the door fully. He stepped out into the living room, eyeing the man who was sitting at the dining room table. It would be hard to forget the man that sat there, tall, with long, spiky white hair that topped his head and dropped down in bangs, framing a face with red lines that ran down his eyes and a horned forehead protector with _abura_ on it. His clothing was a green short skirt kimono with matching pants, the hint of a mesh armor in places his clothing did not cover, handguards covering his hands. Leaning against the table was a massive scroll that he suspected was the Toad Summoning Contract.

"Jiraiya-sama," he greeted as cordially as he could, guarded, but with a bit of warmth. It was the best he could do, he was at a loss for how he should react, irritation tugging at the corners of his psyche and a hint of anger tugging at another, he would like nothing more than to give the man a piece of his mind, but in all honestly, he couldn't with the information he had on the Toad Sannin.

Whatever the Gama-sennin was going to say died on his lips, probably one of those legendary introductions, replaced instead by an expression if shock.

"You know who I am?"

"Of course I do. You're Jiraiya, one of the sannin, Konoha's spymaster, my father's sensei, and my godfather."

Jiraiya paled slightly and let out a nervous chuckle, rubbing the back of his head.

"So you know that."

"I already forgive you, for the same reason I forgave Jiji, but you already knew that since you were there."

_Now he's going to wonder if I'm a sensor or not_, he thought as he took his eyes off the older man to glance at the clock.

Crap.

"I apologize Jiraiya-sama, but I need to be someplace shortly, so I hope you can make it brief. What do you want?"

"Well, gaki, what would you say to getting some training from me?"

That...was unexpected to say the least, he thought, keeping an indifferent air to himself. Training from Jiraiya could help excuse some of his skills and he could possibly help him solve some of the more esoteric equations of the Hiraishin that he could not figure out and maybe even answer some questions he had for the other family heirloom. But on the other side of the coin was the suddeness of it. What was his motive? Was it guilt for leaving him to fend for himself? Or was it some misplaced sense of duty to his father?

He needed time to think about it.

"How soon would you like to know," he found himself asking after coming to that conclusion.

The Gama-sennin blinked, probably out of surprise that he hadn't lept at the opportunity.

"I don't know, gaki, I had expected you to accept right away. Not every day I offer to train anyone."

"I figured that, but I would just like some time to think on it. I'm grateful you are offering me this opportunity, but I would rather just have a bit of time to mull it over. Can you just give me until this evening?"

"Sure. It's the least I can do for you."

"Thank you. I need to run. Just make sure you reactivate the seals when you leave," he called as he _**H**__**enge**_'d into his orange jumpsuited form and ran out the door. He was running late and would need to double-time it for him to get there.

He didn't even look back to note that Jiraiya was already coming out of his apartment looking after him. Nor did he hear Jiraiya's next statement.

"If you could only see your son, now, Minato."

* * *

Of all the times in his life he had made the excuse for being late that he was lost on the road of life, did he ever believe that it would ever be true. Yet, that was exacty what was happening to him as he wandered through the streets on his way back to the hospital after grabbing the gear he needed to train Sasuke. But it wasn't Sasuke, it was the sun-kissed blond teammate of the Uchiha that dominated his thoughts.

He was still shaking off the shock of what had happened in the last few hours. He had always prided himself for being able to see underneath the underneath like his sensei had taught him, but he had never had any inkling that his sensei's son would be the living embodiment of that sentiment.

And those eyes. Those eyes would haunt him for many sleepless nights to come, what had been warm, expressive, and full of life had become guarded, calculating, and irritatingly neutral even as they cast silent judgment upon him. It was like being under Minato-sensei once again and being found disappointing, he would never be able to let it down.

Then the meeting with the Hokage had made it even worse. Not once did Naruto look at him or even refer to him as sensei, in fact, it seemed Naruto made a concerted effort to treat him nothing more than a peer and superior officer. Even ignoring the fact that Naruto had been surprisingly merciful by not throwing him to the wolves because he had consciously spent more time training and catering to Sasuke than to Sakura and himself. He was grateful for that, but it still did not assuage the agony that lay within his heart at his student's actions, justified as they may be.

"Out of the way," came a cry, causing him to be dragged out of his thoughts at the familiar sound of a voice, his single eye catching the sight of an orange blur darting in and out of the crowd coming towards him. A small bit of hope came to him, here was his chance to try and make amends with Naruto.

"Yo, Naru-," he greeted in his normal fashion, only for his voice to fail him as those cold eyes dart to him for a second, the silent accusation and dismissal in them, before Naruto already slid by him, not even taking the time to look back.

Kakashi could only stand still there, his mind replaying those same eyes casting that cold look over and over, before coming to a decision.

He needed to get out of Konoha and think about all of this.

* * *

Of all the things that he as Naruto Uzumaki could do that that Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze could actually enjoy and feel proud of while running around in his orange buffoon persona and that was sitting on the head of Hokage Monument, specifically on the head of his father. That one act served to remind him of who he was and because no one ever came up here anymore because of his presence, it allowed him the only place to be himself.

And by being himself, he could sit upon his father's head and watch the sunset over Konoha, just simply enjoying the poetic beauty of it and feeling closest to his father outside of wearing that iconic jacket of his father's. But even more importantly, this simple exercise allowed him to do the one thing he actually truly enjoyed, writing in the small journal he kept on his person at all times, entailing his thoughts, his experiences, poems, and even sometimes he would draw a small picture in the pages.

One of the things he had quickly learned after he had decided to become a strong shinobi and hide that very fact was the dangers of something he had later discovered was called cognitive dissonance. The problem was that in maintaining his Uzumaki persona at the same time maturing into an entirely different branch was that it created identity issues, sometimes he would catch himself about to act in his Uzumaki-Namikaze persona, only to quickly stop himself and act correctly, or even the other way around. It was into the fourth year of his charade that it had almost reached catastrophic levels.

That day four years ago was an incident that still caused him conflicted emotions. He had lost his temper after Sasuke had mocked him one too many times and he had intended to knock him down a peg or two. If he had just kept with his Uzumaki persona, he would have been easily defeated, but he had been irritated by other things happening at the time with improving his taijutsu that he had countered Sasuke's strikes and ended up driving a flattened palm into the Uchiha's sternum, sending him reeling. Luckily it hadn't been a hard enough strike to cause serious damage, but the mere fact that he had done it and could have killed Sasuke if he had gone full bore had caused him to nearly have a panic attack.

Still, it had caused him many sleepless nights until he found an answer to his problem. Unfortunately, he could not turn to psychiatric help for obvious reasons, at least not yet, so instead he sought a method of self treatment.

When he had actually figured it out, he almost slapped himself upside the head. It was something that was staring at him every time he flipped it open and read through it. His father's journals were a type of cathartic release for him. Ninja's needed some type of emotional or physical release in order to handle the stress of their jobs, Kakashi, Jiraiya, and the Hokage were perverts, Anko was a borderline exhibitionist with a gluttonous appetite for dango, and according to his research, Tsunade was a drunk with gambling issues, all of these were coping mechanisms, his father was no different and his journals fulfilled that role.

So Naruto had started keeping a journal, writing in it every single time he found an opportunity, many times finding himself in this very position at this time writing and simply enjoying the ambient energies flowing around him.

**And no one up here to stress you**, came the rumbling voice of his resident, causing Naruto's lips to twitch into a smirk.

_You've been awfully silent all day, furball._

The Kyuubi no Kitsune chuckled, **I was too busy enjoying the show to offer a commentary. It's about time you showed those fools what they were missing.**

He mentally shrugged in response , knowing his tenant would recognize it.

_We both knew this eventuality would come. If my former sensei actually spent a lot more time on training everyone instead of the village's precious Uchiha-sama, we would not be having this conversation. They merely accelerated our schedule._

**All for a Hyuuga, the heiress of that arrogant sub-Uchiha clan at that. If I didn't know better, kit, I'd accuse you of being smitten with her.**

_Which is why you aren't. I just hate bullies and child abuse. Hinata and I are kindred spirits, the only difference between us is I have found the will to continue and she still stays in a state of flux._

**Whatever you say. Soooo...**

_No._

**Come on! A little bloodshed never hurt anyone.**

_Except the victim, which, I remind you, is a shinobi of Konoha. I'm not going to kill Neji, I'm going to do worse._

**...I don't see how not killing the prick is worse.**

_I made a pledge to Hinata to not kill him, furball. Besides, killing someone who could have long-term strategic value is a waste. If I'm going to be in a position to honor our agreement, then I need to surround myself with strong and capable allies. No, I'm going to destroy that Hyuuga's world and make him pick up the pieces. There is nothing more devastating than having everything that you believe in destroyed._

Kyuubi snorted, **I'll never understand you humans. You have to make things so complicated. Back in my day if a human irritated me I destroyed him, his family, and his village.**

_I'll ignore on commenting on where that's gotten you and simply ask you this: If you killed everyone in that village, how do you spread the message for others not to mess with you?_

**...**

_And so we come to the crux of my answer. It's not about killing, it's about sending a message. Soundly trouncing Neji will suffice in achieving that objective._

**I still think you should kill him.**

_Then if its bloodshed you want, if the Ichibi's container loses control I'll eliminate him if he can't be salvaged._ Deal?

**Acceptable**, the Kyuubi replied before letting out a massive yawn.

Naruto sighed, knowing the conversation was far from over. He had a month of listening to his tenant bemoan his decision ahead of him. But at least he had someone to keep his mind in check.

The relationship between himself and the Kyuubi was complicated to say the least. The best way it could be described is an agreement, the Kyuubi would provide him with chakra when he needed it, he could provide comforts to the mountain sized chakra construct in his mindscape and access to the outside world through his senses. And if the bijuu honored his agreement and Naruto lived to a ripe old age, Naruto had promised to release him into the wild with the promise that he'd never attack Konoha again.

It was a fair agreement. Which was pretty surprising to the Kyuubi that a nine year old had made the agreement, not once flinching in spite of the best attempts to intimidate him.

So the deal had been brokered and since then their relationship was one of partners. If push came to shove in extreme circumstanced he could summon up to four tails of chakra in his bijuu cloak mode, but it had to be a case of extreme circumstances for him to do it.

The added perks were because of the fact the Kyuubi was a willing participant was that he now had some sensory capability, but also he could assist in battles by providing a second set of eyes and senses.

**Speaking of which.**

_Yeah, I know._

**What are you going to say to him?**

_I'll accept it. If only to increase my skills and strength. There's a storm coming, can't you feel it?_

**Yeah...I'll excuse the fact that the man trained your father and paved the way for me being stuck in you. Just don't expect me to like it.**

_Wasn't expecting you to. He's partially responsible for both our situations. Though, now that you remind me, you still haven't given me your account of that night._

**...When you become ANBU, I'll tell you.**

_You know I'm just going to work myself harder to get there, right?_

**I thought you liked challenges?**

Naruto sighed and shook his head, _Well played fox, I concede defeat._

**Got to keep you from getting too big in the head, human**, the fox replied with a chuckle as he closed his eyes.

Sensing the conversation finished, Naruto slipped his journal into his equipment pouch and got to his feet, turning around towards the treeline.

"You know it's impolite to spy on people, Jiraiya-sensei."

"So you decided to accept, eh gaki," the named Gama-Sennin asked, slipping out of the trees.

"It would be a waste of both of our times if I didn't," he replied with a shrug, "so, when do we start?"

"Right now."

Jiraiya then retrieved the large scroll on his back and placed it down, "Well Naruto, how would you like to sign the Toad Summoning Contract?"

He closed his eyes, stilling his breath even as he fought the urge to react to it. The Toad Summoning Contract was something he wished for more than anything else in the world, both for the power of it, but also for the fact that his father was a summoner for them. However, at the same time, his pride bristled at the offer. That was one of the few things that he had that was his own, a pride in achieving for himself and not accepting any handouts. It had taken him three months to master the _**Rasengan**_, another year after that to figure out its manipulation and be able to generate it on a whim, it took him three years to figure out the Hiraishin well enough to even dare to try and use it, and another six months before he was comfortable writing the seals. He wasn't a genius or a prodigy, but he worked hard and he learned hard, and that was what would make him become his own man.

"Why," he asked, his voice trembling. It was so hard to even ask that question because he wanted so much to take it. It was right there in front of him!

"Why, because your father of course. I think he would-"

"No."

That cold, biting word was like a verbal slap in the face, cutting Jiraiya off and causing the elder to frown.

"May I ask why, gaki? This is something your father would have wanted you to have."

"For that very reason, Jiraiya-sensei," Naruto said as quietly as he could, not trusting his voice and willing for that contract to go away just for a few minutes so he could get his thoughts out without giving in to his desire to have it, "you were going to give it to me because of my father. I'm honored you would do that, but I cannot accept anything that I have not earned through working for it."

The Sannin stood there, the expression on his face tense for what seemed like for an eternity, the Sannin's eyes searching his own as he returned it unflinchingly. Then it seemed everything changed as he broke into a wide grin.

"Okay, you won me Naruto. How about this? When you become Chunin you get to sign the contract? Will that fulfill your wish to work for it?"

He sighed, closing his eyes, thanking him for understanding.

"That will be fine. I accept."

"Well then," the Gama-sennin declared, "that ruins some of the training I planned to give you, so I guess I'll ask you what you are looking for and we'll go from there?"

He couldn't help but smile as he opened his eyes, letting a bit of that old exuberance show on his features as he felt energized by the events transpiring before him.

"Well, I have four things," he started, "I'd like to see if I can expand my jutsu library a bit, nothing too flashy, just jutsus that are simple and effective. My fuinjutsu could definitely use some pointers from a seal master such as yourself. I'd also like for you to help me figure out what I'm missing with my father's Hiraishin notes, I can't transport people and I can't plant seal matrixes. And finally," he held up his right hand, a white-ish blue orb forming to life in it, "I'd like your thoughts on adding elemental affinities to this."

Jiraiya could only look at the young man before him an expression of pride easily telltale even in the fading light.

"You're going to run me ragged, aren't you, gaki?"

* * *

**Next Chapter will be Neji, I guarantee it.**

Leave some reviews, it tells me exactly what I'm doing right and wrong and gives me an accurate barometer on if I am entertaining you guys.


	4. The Reckoning

**Thank you for the all the reviews you've given me since my little unintended diatribe in the previous chapter. It was meant as more of a vent than any type of attempt to garner reviews out of you guys, though I really appreciate it because it gave me added emphasis to write quickly.**

**Anyways, responding to reviews:**

**TokehGecko: **He knows to a certain level of the day-to-day going-ons in regards to like the civilian sector and what he can eavesdrop from other shinobi. It's isn't like he's sitting on a mountain of S-rank secrets. He knows some of them (like Danzo) thanks to his father's notes. But anymore more current he's completely oblivious to, he can try and break it down and analyze it, but without concrete information he can only guess.

**darkhuntressxir: **Yes and no. Naruto is a bit more bitter with Kakashi than he was with Jiraiya. Jiraiya had a valid excuse as to why he could not take care of Naruto, he was Konoha's spymaster. The life on the road would be too difficult for a child, not to mention do you really think the council would let a jinchuriki run outside of the village? Suffice to say, Naruto had forgiven Jiraiya to an extent to where the Sage can work back up the goodwill.

Kakashi on the other hand, is very complicated because Kakashi has no real valid excuse. He ignored Naruto in spite of him living in the village, never really said hi, just maybe served as Naruto's bodyguard a few evenings and that's it. It's even worse when he became Naruto's sensei, when Kakashi could have taught Naruto basic crap and Naruto would have appreciated it because it would prove Kakashi cared. But instead, all naruto go was exercises while Kakashi spent more time with Sakura and Sasuke, with special attention on Sasuke. The man is supposed to be training them to become shinobi, not play favorites. Then there is the fact that Kakashi's actions are going to make Naruto's life a living hell in the long run. Naruto now has to run the gauntlet a few years before he was prepared to, because he could no longer hide who he was underneath all of the lies and make it believable. So the upcoming clan seat, the fight with the council on the fact that he's 'too skilled' to be what he and must have some influence from the kyuubi (not that far from the truth, but they don't need to know that) and the fact that now he's not to the level he wanted to be (he wanted to be full on jounin level before he made a stab at the chunin exams, that way he had a leg up).

So yeah, Kakashi has a difficult road ahead of him, because Naruto is not a huge fan of him right now. Is there room for Kakashi to rebuild that bridge? Yes, Naruto is forgiving, but he needs a good reason to forgive and for the sinner to be contrite enough for it to believable. This is a realistic naruto, he knows people make mistakes and every decision has a reaction.

**Hopefully I answered the questions. Now, forewarning, this chapter is my first Naruto battle chapter, so it's a bit more chatty than it should be and probably is not the greatest polish. My apologies in advance, but I hope you all enjoy it.  
**

**Also, before I turn it over, blah 10000 words, I thought I was rid of you in my stories.**

******And now without further delay, the next chapter.  
**

* * *

**Chapter 3  
**

_**The Reckoning  
**_

The village of Konohagakure was in the process of celebration, the energy and festivities at its final high point before the largest day of the hidden village happened in the morning. All that could were getting as much celebration in as possible.

And through it all none were aware of the blue eyes that quietly scanned them from on high.

It had been a busy and harsh month for Naruto, the training he had undertaken with Jiraiya had been a lot harder than he expected. The Sannin hadn't been happy in just the four things he had listed off, instead pushing him even harder to his breaking point. It was probably the greatest thing he could have done, in Naruto's estimation, he had never truly pushed himself to the brink because he couldn't afford to for various reasons.

That should have been what his sensei should have done, he thought with a faint hint of bitterness, writing in his journal in spite of the darkness. That was one if the few things that he had missed, Jiraiya ran him so ragged that he found himself without energy at night to even write. So it was nice to return to his old compulsion after so long without it.

Still, he had not a lot of time left to do this, tomorrow he'd be more than busy, tomorrow would be Neji's reckoning.

But first...

He snapped his journal shut just as an ANBU appeared in a swirl of leaves beside him.

"Good evening, ANBU-san."

"Naruto Uzumaki, the Hokage has summoned you. You are to come with me."

He solemnly nodded as he got to his feet and allowed the ANBU to _**Shunshin**_ him to the Hokage's office. A few moments later, he was at his destination.

"Evening, Jiji-san."

"Naruto, I take it you know why you're here?"

He could only nod his head, it had been weighing on him since it had happened. The Hokage seemed to sense his trepidation, activating the silencing seal so they could not be eavesdropped on.

"How is he?"

"Still in a coma, unfortunately. But they expect him to wake anytime now."

He sighed in relief, thankful that he had been in time.

It had only been a stroke of luck that he had been there. He had tasked several of his Kage Bunshins to keep an eye on Sabaku no Gaara, intent on seeing if he could discern more of the Ichibi Jinchuriki in terms of overall capabilities. He was rewarded front row seats to the fact that not only was the one-tailed bijuu holder unstable, but he could wield a type of sand cloaked form. He shuddered to think of what could happen if the Ichibi broke its already fragile cage.

Yet for Gekko Hayate it was his salvation. One of Naruto's Kage Bunshin's had witnessed the Tokubetsu Jounin's swift retreat and pursuit. It had interfered, only able to catch up in time to stop Gekko from being killed, grabbing him and Shunshin'ing him to one if his safe houses, then creating another Kage Bunshin to Hiraishin to the Hokage and lead him here while he desperately tried to tend to his wounds, working to just stabilize him until medics could arrive.

It was a calculated gamble by the Kage Bunshin, knowing that its boss would be livid at the reveal of one of his safe houses, even worse the revealing of his information network, but it couldn't be helped, he knew Boss would have been apoplectic if he hadn't acted at all.

It was only a short time later that the Hokage showed up with his ANBU escort and Kage Bunshin to access the seal. An ANBU swiftly got to treating him before evaccing him to a hospital, but the Hokage stayed, the look on his face a mixture of irritation and betrayal as he looked around the safehouse before beginning to interrogate him on the incident.

Unfortunately none of the Kage Bunshin had eyes on the area Gekko had been spying on, arranged in a way that focused solely upon Gaara, Gekko just managed to catch the attention of one of them when he fled. The identity of the attackers was unknown.

Satisfied with the Kage Bunshin's answers, the Kage had asked him about the safehouse and the Kage Bunshin network Naruto had, unfortunately. The Bunshin merely informed him that he was not privy to say, that it was above his clearance line, he was already violating it by showing the Hokage any of this. Naruto would fill him in when he returned.

Luckily the Hokage had accepted that but made a point that Naruto would answer to it and that anything else that his Kage Bunshin witnessed that threatened village security be reported to him immediately.

He had then left, allowing the Kage Bunshin to disperse and inform its master.

And now here they were.

"I'm glad," Naruto exhaled the held breath he wasn't even aware he was holding.

"Neko-san would like to also extend her gratitude for your actions since she is not here, Naruto."

"You mean she's-"

A nod was the only confirmation he received, allowing Naruto to smile faintly. It looked like his Kage Bunshin had prevented a lot more than the loss of life but a broken heart as well.

"I was only doing my job as a nin of Konoha."

A warm smile flickered on its face before it disappeared.

"I'm glad you brought that up, Naruto. Since it is as a nin of Konoha that I've summoned you here to explain your...reluctance to share information that could prove to be vital to the security of this village. How long have you been operating an unauthorized intelligence ring in this village."

"Five years, Hokage-sama."

"And the purpose of it?"

"Intelligence, early warning, and other executable orders in order sustain me."

"Explain."

"My Kage Bunshin serve as an early warning network for me, mingling into the population and eavesdropping on conversations. They alert me if there is a scheme to deal with the 'demon' as they like to refer to me as. It's helped me avoid several attempts upon my life."

The room chilled significantly as a massive amount of killing intent lashed out from those in the room.

"What," the Hokage asked, his voice low.

Naruto shrugged, "they were all avoided. What more is there to ask? Just like being banned from almost every store and restaurant outside of Ichiraku's, I adapted and survived. Nothing worth digging up any further."

"That will be for me to decide, Naruto. I made perfectly clear at your birth what would happen if they violated my orders."

He stared at the grandfather figure for the longest time before he sighed, knowing the expression all to well when he had his mind set. The problem was he hated unneeded bloodshed, especially if there were other options available to achieve the same objective.

"As much as I would like for them to die, Hokage-sama," he started quietly, "I think I have a better idea in chastising not only them, but the rest of the village."

The Hokage looked at him for a few moments, before nodding.

"The Chunin Exams, you plan to reveal your parents."

"Among other things. There is nothing more shaming than the fact that they have treated the son of the man they worship as a hero like a pariah. But maybe I am being too cruel," he added with a questioning eyebrow raised.

"No, I actually think that might be more appropriate," was the response with a wintry smile, "and it will also give me the excuse of giving you what you rightfully deserve, Naruto.

He nodded, knowing what that meant. Because of the fact that his mother had been the sole known survivor of the Uzumaki clan and his father, because he became Hokage, was granted his own clan in recognition of that achievement, meant that he would become a clan head of not one, but two clans when he announced who he was. It was something he did want because it provided additional protections for him against any type of Council maneuvers to contain or manipulate him. It would also allow him the opportunity of forming alliances with other clan for the future.

The wintry smile on the Hokage's face then faded, reminded of something, "However, you have distracted me from my other question, Naruto. How many of these safe houses did Minato leave?"

"Thirteen. There was a fourteenth, but it was destroyed during the Kyuubi attack according to all indications. According to what notes I do have, they were intended to provide several points of protection in the event of an invasion of Konoha, but also could serve as hiding spots for my mother in the event her...affliction became public knowledge."

"And you were going to inform me of this when?"

Naruto rubbed the back of his head, offering a disarming smile that didn't seem to work as he admitted, "I didn't see the necessity of it, Jiji. They were something left to me by my father and I preferred to keep them secret so in case something happens to me I have somewhere to run."

"Minato seemed to be one step ahead of everyone else at times," the Hokage murmured with a shake of his head, "I won't push you to stop your Kage Bunshin Naruto, nor will I ask for the location of the safe houses. I just ask for some discretion."

"I can guarantee I will. Thank you for trusting in me."

"I've always trusted you Naruto," the elder stated mirthlessly, "I just wish I'd been there for you-"

"Jiji, don't."

"No, Naruto, this old man has many regrets in his life, but maybe the worst one is how I've let you down. I perfectly understand why you didn't trust me. I wouldn't trust myself if I were you. I kept so many things from you, lied to, and strung you along when I should have been proud of telling who your family was and what they sacrificed. We should have given you so much more and this village failed you."

He really didn't have to do this, he thought as he stared at the man, who despite his mistrust over the years, was the closest to a family member he had. The man had been there for him as possible, in spite of his job. A job that caused a large amount of internal strife within his own family.

"You know," he began, trying to find the words to express that notion, "when I was younger, no matter what happened throughout the week, no matter how much abuse and mistreatment I suffered, I knew, thst every weekend, you would come to visit me and take me out to Ichiraku's for some ramen. You didn't have to do it, you had a lot more important duties then spend time with some snot-nosed orphan, but you did it. Those were probanly the happiest days of my life, because it reminded me that there was at least someone who cared. You did a lot to just keep me going, Jiji. What you did, regardless of any agenda, were days that I still hold as some of the most precious I've had and there is nothing that can take away from them."

The old man smiled, letting him know silently that Naruto's words had worked.

"You know," the elder Hokage began, "we haven't gone to Ichiraku's in quite awhile, what do you say that we sneak down there as my good luck meal to you?"

He could only smile in return to the man who viewed as a grandfather, "I think I would like that."

* * *

_The Next Day_

As much as he wished to show a disinterest in the happenings around him because it was beneath him, internally, Sasuke Uchiha was as excited as everyone else today. Today, he would be one step closer to killing THAT man.

The last month had proven to be quite fruitful in his pursuit of that singular purpose. Kakashi had trained him into the ground all for teaching him a new powerful jutsu.

Still, in spite of all of his pomposity, he was astute in noting that throughout the entirety of training the scarecrow Jounin seemed distracted, his other thoughts lying elsewhere. When he had demanded to know what it was to take away from his sensei's supposed to be single-minded purpose in training him. Instead, he found himself getting thrown around by a visibly irritated(!) Kakashi, who bitingly told him to mind his training.

After that he chose to instead drop it, if the Jounin could throw him around like he was nothing in spite of his distracted state he was satisfied with the training.

And now was the promised day, the day in which he would excel and prove himself even further that he was an elite, that there were no comparisons to him, and he would be able to grow stronger in spite of even Kakashi holding him back. Oh yes, it was going to be good.

Taking a look around at his competitors, he noted that as of yet Naruto had yet to show up, causing him to frown slightly. It wasn't that he was honestly concerned, there just was a level of competitiveness between them. As loathe as he wished to admit it, the last place made him wish to excel even further because he served as a measuring stick. His pride demanded he never be inferior to him no matter what.

Still, where the hell could be be? The Exams were going to start in ten minutes.

* * *

_Where was Naruto_, Kakashi thought. His eye looking down upon the center arena where the rest of the contestants were. There was no reason for Naruto to not be here, he would not miss this in his life.

_Except, that was the Naruto you believed he was_, an errant part of him whispered, causing him to frown.

The entire month had been one of reflection and contrition. Naruto's words had hit him to the core because they were true. He had not spent any time training Naruto other than the basics. He had been so focused on Sasuke and keeping him from embracing the darkness within him that he had neglected his other Genin. It was probably the worst thing he could have done, Naruto was right, he was worse than trash because of his actions. And because of it, Naruto had left Team 7.

He had to make it up to him, he had to apologize to his sensei's son, that was the only proper thing he could do. Yet, it could be too late, maybe Naruto had decided on a different course of action. Maybe he-

"Kakashi," a voice intoned as he felt a hand land on his shoulder, snapping him out of his thoughts, his head turning to the stern face of Asuma Sarutobi.

"Asuma?"

"What is this I hear from Kurenai that one of your genin quit the team?"

_Naruto told someone other than the Hokage_, Kakashi thought with a deepening frown, glancing at the hand that was digging into his shoulder before looking back at Asuma, noting his expression. While his expression was his usual, cigarette dangling from his lips, it was the eyes that gave a way a cold fury that lay within their depths.

He then saw over the shoulder of Asuma the familiar profile of Kurenai herself, obviously there to join in sooner or later.

He sighed, guess that was the beginning of his comeuppance.

"Hai," he stated with a nod.

The hand tightened further, causing Kakashi to internally wince.

"Why?"

He could only hang in his shame.

"Because I failed him as a sensei."

"You didn't just fail him," Kurenai spoke now, "you neglected not only him but Sakura."

"Hai."

"Such unyouthfulness," Gai voice caused, Kakashi's eyes to widen at the tone and the fact that Gai's had come from a different vector, obviously the intent was for his Jounin peers to ambush him, "I am disappointed in my eternal rival."

"And you think I'm not," he replied with a tired sigh, "I thought I had plenty of time to train him. Sasuke came first in my mind, if at least to turn him into a shinibi loyal to Konoha. I can't excuse my actions, I won't excuse them. I turned my back on someone who should be like a sibling to me. All I can ask for after this is beg for his forgiveness."

"And what about the team," Kurenai demanded, "you can't operate a two-man genin team Kakashi. You have to ask Naruto back."

He could only give a wry chuckle, because it was funny. They hadn't seen it either, had they?

"What's so funny," Asuma demanded.

"Even if I wanted him back on the team," he replied with a hint of sadness in his tone, "there is no way he would be placed back in Team 7. Because there is no doubt in my mind that Naruto will become a Chunin after this exam."

Before Maito could ask what he meant by that, the crowd erupted into a roar, causing them all to focus upon the stadium floor where a familiar orange figure entered the arena.

* * *

"Look Hinata, he made it," exclaimed Kiba, causing Hinata to lightly blush at the sight of her crush. It was a sight that she was hoping for since he had visited the hospital a month ago. At first she had thought it a dream when she had seen him back then, a figment of what she truly wished to see, just Naruto at his side smiling warm at her.

But Kurenai-sensai had told her that he had been there when she had asked. Naruto had taken the time to visit her. It was like a dream come true. She didn't even know what she had said, but had found out that she had said nothing, Naruto had just quieted her and told her that he understood. It took her a week to know what he had meant by that, when she had found out what he had done at the Preliminary Exam, standing up for her and swearing to get back at her cousin.

Somehow he had known her wish that Neji not be punished or harmed for what he had done to her. She had understood Neji's anger at her, just like she understood the Branch's anger at the Main Family, any rational human being would understand. To be placed in servitude to someone else was one of the most cruel things imaginable and it was only natural for them to try and fight back in any way they could.

Instead, she just wished that she could bring both branch's together, like it should be. Not like it was now.

She coughed lightly, feeling her body protest her breathing again, Kiba looking at her in concern until she calmed herself.

No, she would not leave here, she thought with determination, not when Naruto-kun had cheered for her. She wouldn't leave him for anything.

* * *

"Where have you been, dobe," Sasuke asked, as Naruto finished his walk up to him, "you were almost late."

"Everyone always remembers the last guy to the party," the blond replied with a sheepish grin, "I thought you were going to be the late one, teme, since you like creating drama for yourself."

He bristled at the blonde's statement, he most certainly did not. He was an Uchiha, he was never late to anything, he was there when he wished to be there and everyone accepted it. That was the way it was.

"Oi," Naruto's voiced snapped him out of his irritation, surprised, "Sasuke. When you fight against Gaara, go for the kill."

"Tch. You don't need to give me pointers, you're going to lose against the Hyuuga anyways."

In returned the blond looked ready to protest in anger, earning him a smirk, before to his surprise, the orange ninja settled his expression to one of seriousness.

"I'm serious Sasuke," he replied gravely, "if you want to win, you have to incapacitate him quickly or kill him. If you don't, he will kill you."

"And what brings this about, dobe? You actually scared of him? You think I can't beat him."

"I know you can beat him, Sasuke," surprising him with the usage of his name, "I'm just telling you a protracted battle with someone like Gaara will get you killed. He has a...condition that will only make him stronger as time goes on."

It was then surprise turned into shock as Naruto slipped in closer whispering harshly, "I'm not kidding around Sasuke. You need to incapacitate him quickly by any means available. I can't tell you more than this because it's an S-rank secret, but I can tell you right now, he's close to Kage level if he gets enough time to power up."

Too stunned by what Naruto had done, he merely nodded as the blond shinobi stepped back.

_He has to be joking. There is no way he can be telling the truth. That's it, he's just trying to get under my skin._

He then turned to Naruto who had the widest grin imaginable as he waved to the crowd as it cheered.

_But what if the dobe is right?_

* * *

_Troublesome_, one Shikamaru Nara thought as he watch Naruto and Sasuke conversing, being able to read the lips of both of the competitors,_ when did Naruto get such a serious streak_.

He wasn't exactly privy to a lot of information upon the blond other than what he had observed. Loud, obnoxious, a bit of a knucklehead, but he kept an open mind towards him because he had always had this weird feeling that there was something to Uzumaki that he was not seeing. He had a feeling he was catching a glimpse of it now. The eyes were a dead giveaway, that seemed to flash from this happy-go-lucky devil-may-care light to this oddity of seriousness. It was off-putting in its own way.

Then there was the fact that he had overheard Asuma discussing with Kurenai that Naruto had resigned from Team 7 a month ago. He hadn't believed it at first, but when he had asked Asuma, the jounin-sensei had confirmed it for him. Why Naruto did it, Asuma wouldn't say, just that Naruto had tendered his resignation. He wasn't even sure that the Hokage would accept it.

But that was irrelevant, deep down, he knew that something was happening with Naruto and that feeling was bubbling to the surface as he watched Naruto separate himself from the Uchiha, settling in to a relaxed stance that things were going to change.

If it was for the better was the real question.

* * *

_It's time, _the Sandaime Hokage thought, taking his eyes off the Kazekage who he knew was Orochimaru. Naruto had arrived not a moment too soon and it took every part of him not to break out into a smile at the sight of his adoptive grandson. The night before at Ichiraku's had warmed his heart that the son of the Yondaime didn't begrudge him his actions and actually did care for him in spite of everything. The fact that he was almost fashionably late had added more to the new Naruto he was slowly coming to accept.

It would be interesting now that he would show everyone exactly what they were missing and the mistakes they had made since that day thirteen years ago.

Coming to the edge of the balcony to address the crowd as he looked down upon the group.

"Everyone, thank you for coming to Konohagakure's Chunin Exam. We will now begin the final exams for the eight who have made it through the preliminaries. Please watch until the end.

He then stepped back and retreated to his seat, intent on watching the Exam now.

_Make us all proud, Naruto_, he thought.

* * *

Naruto paid little attention to Genma Shiranui's presentation of the new format of the tournament, he knew full well what had happened to Dosu. Shikamaru now had an extra excuse to be lazy now that he didn't have fight twice before progressing further. Instead he was scanning the surroundings, taking note of the terrain for the battle ahead. Not that it really mattered with the battle plan he was going to use, but it was best to prepare some contingencies in the event Neji had a few tricks up his sleeves.

"So the first match will be Naruto Uzumaki and Neji Hyuuga. Just those two remain and the rest of you go to the waiting room."

_It's time_, he thought, fighting to keep down the excitement that he felt, knowing it wouldn't fit with the seriousness he had to put up for his Uzumaki persona. It was time for him to finally start showing exactly what laid underneath the underneath.

As the rest of the contestants left, Naruto turned to look at Neji, keeping up the serious expression even though he wanted to give a wintry grin to Neji to get under his skin. No, that would wait, one step at a time.

* * *

"Say Sakura," Ino asked, causing her to look to her blond friend, "you going to cheer for your teammate?"

Sakura offered the best smile she could in spite of everything. It wasn't exactly true that Naruto was her teammate anymore, Kurenai-sensei had told her that Naruto had resigned from Team 7. Why, she hadn't told her, and then the jounin had told her to keep it to herself for the time being. But what resulted of that single incident had shaken her world to where she had to look at it.

It couldn't be true, she had thought, Naruto would never quit anything. That wasn't his way. Yet, when she had gone looking for him, she had been unable to find him anywhere. He had just seemed to disappear without a trace, leaving her unable to confirm or even ask him why if it were true. Which left her with one thing to do, which was look at everything.

Truth be told, while she loved Sasuke-kun, she viewed Naruto as that type of over-annoying younger brother who simply could not understand anything and wanted to be the center of attention. Well, maybe not younger brother, but more of just someone who just reminded her of her worth to at least someone. Naruto's constant attention and attempts to ask her out did feed that part of her ego that really needed it in lieu of Sasuke's repeated rebuffs.

He was there for her and that was what matters. She knew Sasuke would probably never admit it, but Naruto was the heart of the team, and if he left, then who was there to keep them together?

No, he couldn't have resigned. It just wasn't possible. That's all there was to it. Kurenai-sensei was wrong.

"It really doesn't matter if you do," Ino continued with a hint of smugness in her tone, "with Neji as his opponent, Naruto has no chance of winning."

_But... _

"That is-"

"Not so. Is that what you were going to say?

Ino was right, there was no discernible way that Naruto could beat still..._  
_

_But still..._

Naruto always seems to find a way.

* * *

"You seem like you want to say something."

He bared his teeth slightly even as he held his hand out. All part of the play, that's all it was, he couldn't let his anger control him.

"I already told you before, haven't I? I'm going to win, no matter what."

Of course, he knew it would have no effect upon the Hyuuga. Pride always blinded those to the possibility that they would be eventually surpassed. Instead a small smirk crossed the features of the Hyuuga before he enhanced his Byakugan.

"That makes it more worthwhile for me. I look forward to your look of disappointment when you know the true reality."

"Enough talk," he snapped, eyes darting towards Genma.

"Now then, Round One. Begin."

He immediately backed off, surprising Neji by his action, but it was all part of the plan.

The Byakugan is the supposed all-seeing eye of the Hyuuga, he thought even as he brought his fingers up into a ram seal, the ability to see in all directions and be able to counter accordingly. While the Sharingan supposedly is a predictor, the Byakugan is an observer. With the Juuken style of the Hyuuga it is both the ultimate offense and defense because of the complementary nature of the two. But no technique of doujutsu is invincible, there has to be a weakness to it.

_**"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**_," he snapped, summoning eight clones and arraying them in front of him even as he watched Neji move into a stance, noting how he placed his left hand and left leg forward. _Interesting, leading with the left, possibly nothing, or possibly something._

"Go," he commanded, sending the eight forward, but instead of attacking straight forward, he arrayed them around the Neji, but did not move them forward to attack, instead choosing to gauge his opponent.

Now to wait and see what Neji does.

* * *

While that went on another two pairs of Byakugan eyes watched the match as the opening moves began with a certain amount of interest. After all, they were the current head and likely heiress of the Hyuuga clan. They had to have a vested interest, since this exam would once again prove the superiority of the Hyuuga clan, at least in the eyes of the Head, yet for the heiress, this was to be an education for her, with the defeat of Hinata her star had risen even higher to where assuming control of the Clan was all but assured.

"Watch carefully, Hanabi," Hiashi Hyuuga commented, not even bothered by the Kage Bunshins that surrounded the branch member, "nobody has inherited such a strong Hyuuga Kekkei Genkai. To say nothing of your older sister. "

"More than my older sister," she asked with feigned interest, she knew that to be the truth, her sister was weaker than her even.

"Perhaps more than you, too."

Now _that_ surprised her, knowing she was easily showing her expression to her taciturn father, but it couldn't be helped. Why would a branch member be stronger than her?

* * *

"Go," he snapped once again, watching as his clones reacted. The first observation was that yes, it was all-seeing because of how Neji reacted, or rather, his lack of reaction, there wasn't even a shifting of the eyes to track the targets, which meant they were all within his eyesight. Not good, but it still wasn't out of the question that there was a weakness yet. Time for phase two.

The shadow clones moved in, not directly, instead all shifting at a slant, drawing a kunai from their pouches as they moved in, the first one reached him, stabbing forward with the Kunai for his head, only for the Hyuuga to turn his head to the side a bit, hand already grabbing the extended arm and carrying through the motion, sending the clone into another and causing them to tumble to the ground even as he spun around, hand already angled as he struck another of the clones in the face, dispersing it. He then darted backwards, before shifting his weight and launching forward with his right, the clone barely had time to avoid, but it moved right into a position to where he could immediately drop down and sweep it, whipping out a kunai and tossing it straight into the downed clone, dispersing that as well.

The Hyuuga then moved forward, an elegant interplay of moves and countermoves as the Kage Bunshin moved in, intent on avenging their fallen, only to slowly fall one by one to a flurrying of quick strikes and counters.

Growling lightly just before the last Kage Bunshin was destroyed, he again made a ram sign, sending out this time double the amount, giving Neji now sixteen Kage Bunshins to tangle with. If it wasn't for the trace of annoyance that flashed through him, he would be somewhat impressed with how Neji handled himself. He was a prodigy just like was claimed and sooner or later he would figure out Naruto's tactic, if he hadn't already. He needed to figure out that weakness before Neji figured out what he was trying to figure out.

"Go."

* * *

"What is that idiot doing," Sakura cried as she watched Naruto sending another wave of Kage Bunshin towards Neji, "you can't fight taijutsu with a Hyuuga."

All Ino could offer was a shrug.

"And you were expecting something intelligent from Naruto," she asked as another Kage Bunshin was dispersed in the fray, "I mean, this is Naruto we are talking about."

"But I mean," Sakura protested, before snapping her mouth shut.

She didn't know. She didn't know anything about Naruto. He had only won by a fluke against Kiba, Sasuke was the only one with the talent.

She found herself looking across the way to where Hinata seemed to want to ball herself up further.

Even she's starting to doubt Naruto. The task is just too great for him.

Finding she couldn't dwell any further on the negative thoughts, she went back to watching as Naruto lost another three of his clones in less than ten seconds.

* * *

"Why is he using Kage Bunshin," Asuma murmured, confused by Naruto's tactics as the four Jounin sat there.

"Indeed," Maito Gai added on, "with Neji's Byakugan any type of massed attacks using clones wouldn't work because of his sight. What Naruto's doing would be effective against any other shinobi, but against Neji it is useless."

_That might be true_, Kakashi thought to himself as he watched the fray, but if Naruto knows the secret of the Kage Bunshin then it wouldn't matter if its useless in an attack or not, he's gathering information on Neji without putting himself directly at risk of harm.

Watching as the Kage Bunshin started getting whittled down again, Kakashi looked back as several more Kage Bunshins were added to the mix, Naruto relaxing out of the stance again with a look of concentration marring his face.

That's exactly what he's doing, he realized, staring at Naruto who looked more like a commanding general now than a simple shinobi. He's trying to find a weakness to Neji's techniques.

It was almost imperceptible, but the small twitch in his mouth was a tell. Naruto was about to do something.

"I wouldn't be so sure, Asuma, Gai. It looks like Naruto is about to surprise us."

* * *

Kakashi's observation was correct, as Naruto could not help keep his impassive face because he had finally found what he was looking for.

_You saw it too?_

**I did kit. **

_Above the first thoracic vertebrae. It's time to move to phase two, _he thought as he made the ram seal again to summon quartet of Kage Bunshin to support the remaining four that was fighting Neji, one barely avoiding the open palm strike from the Branch Hyuuga, his counterkick brushed aside by the Hyuuga and being rewarded with a Juuken to the throat. The Hyuuga was proving to be a lot more agile than he had predicted.

**I hope that Uchiha brat has a coronary when he sees this.**

Ignoring the Kyuubi he watched as the clones moved into position, causing him to nod at the clone positioned where he wanted. It then lept up into the blind spot, hands flashing through an iconic series of handsigns that caused eyes to widen as the clone deeply inhaled before bringing his hand up into a ring.

_**Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu**_.

A stream of flame shot out of the clone's mouth just as the rest of the clones charged at the Hyuuga, seeking to seal him within the field of fire.

* * *

_How in the hell does the dobe know that_, Sasuke internally snarled as his fists clenched, _how dare he steal my family's jutsu!_

It was inconceivable the dobe even had the ability to use it. If he wasn't a fire affinity the jutsu would easily drain him of all of his chakra because of the demand. Yet he had a **_Kage__ Bunshin_** of all things use it. Just what the hell was this.

* * *

"Hey, Sakura, how does Naruto know Sasuke's jutsu," Ino asked in shock.

"I don't know," Sakura responded, shocked in her own right.

* * *

"Oh yeah, Naruto," Kiba shouted, leaping to his feet as Hinata gave a wan smile.

_He actually did it._

* * *

Suffice to say, Neji was surprised by this development, it seemed that the dead-last had a few tricks up his sleeve, but it didn't matter, fate had already chosen the victor.

And it paid to have some techniques to back it up.

Shifting his foot back he had already begun to spin, hands lighting up from the chakra being projected.

By the time the flames and some of the clones collided with him he was at his maximum revolution speed.

* * *

"That's," Hiashi blurted aghast.

_It's not possible_, he thought, _there's no way for a Branch member to know that._

Yet before his eyes, it was. As the flames hammered the make-shift barrier placed up by the flowing chakra defeating the attack and some of the attacking clones in one fell swoop, clones dispersing. The result was a massive smokescreen on the battlefield. But it was enough for him to know that his nephew had done something incredibly all on his own.

"Father, that's," Hanabi cried out, earning a nod from him.

"It seems that Neji had proven to be the prodigy everyone claims to be," he stated.

* * *

_That didn't work out quite as planned, _Naruto thought with a hint of irritation as some of his clones dispersed in the inferno, _it looks like Neji has been holding something in reserve_.

_Now where did he go_, he thought as he looked around, the smoke occluding his vision and causing him to be blinded by it. The only good thing out of this was that Neji's Byakugan would be similiarly affected since he needed his eyes open to-

**Kit below you_,_** Kyuubi yelled, Naruto immediately realizing his folly as Neji came shooting out of the ground, hands already alight with chakra as he reached for him. He immediately backpedaled from the threat, the hands barely missing each time, but in reality he didn't realize just what he was setting himself up for.

* * *

_This is the end_, Neji thought victoriously.

"You're within the area of my 8 Trigrams," he declared, lowering himself in the stance to end this battle, "Juukenpo: Hakke Rokujūyon Shō."

He then closed the distance in an instant, hands already darting forth as they struck Naruto in the sternum and abdomen.

"Eight Tetragrams, Two Palms."

He then unleashed the rest of the barrage as Naruto staggered backwards drunkenly.

"Four Palms."

"Eight Palms."

"Sixteen Palms."

"Thirty-two Palms."

"Sixty-four Palms."

And that was it as Naruto flew back, the rest of his clones dispersing as he landed on his back away from him as he finished the attack, retreating back into his stance.

_It's over._

He watched as the proctor began to walk over to them, acceptance of the end evident upon his face. All that needed to be done was for him to call it.

Such was the will of fate.

* * *

_Hizashi, it should have been you who succeeded the Hyuuga family, _Hiashi thought as he watched the spectacle. _Your son's truly a terrifying talent to master his Kekkai Genkei to such a level without the assistance of the Main Branch._

And yet, there was something that niggled at the back of his mind as he watched as the Uzumaki boy rolled over onto his stomach. He had rolled over onto his stomach a bit too easily for an attack like the Hakke Rokujūyon Shō. It was then as he looked even closer he saw a brief flicker as the chakra pathways seemed to indicate as if they were still open, but when he looked closer they seemed to be closed.

_Something's wrong here. The Byakugan shouldn't be having problems detecting chakra pathway statuses._

* * *

_Naruto, no, _Hinata thought as she started coughing violently, the stress of the moment causing her body to act up. Kiba came over to her asking her if she was okay but she wasn't really paying attention, only looking down on Naruto as he laid there pitifully. Another victim of her cousin.

He just couldn't have lost. He had been so sure of himself when he told her he would win.

"Get up, Naruto," she whispered hoarsely through a cough, even as she brought her hand up to try and stifle it further, breathing becoming more difficult.

* * *

**What have I told you time and again not to do Naruto.  
**

_Shut up furball,_ he thought back angry with himself, _I'd like to see you come out here and put up this act._

**It's not that good of an act if you get your ass kicked, fleshbag.  
**

_But my ass wasnt kicked! So that throws your entire argument out of the window, you flea-bitten overgrown plushie.  
_

**Why don't you come down here and say that to my face, human.**

_Fine, I'll come down there and kick your ass as soon as we beat this drama queen.  
_

An awkward silence descended upon the two for what seemed like an eternity before both started laughing, Kyuubi's deep bass being complemented by Naruto's tenor, a symphony created by the two.

It was then interrupted by the sound of Neji's voice as it invaded their moment.

"I press the sixty-four chakra points all over your body. You can't even stand."

**And I thought the Uchiha was arrogant, I think the Hyuuga needs an education. What do you think, Naruto, **the giant mountain of chakra in his mindspace asked with a wide grin.

_Yeah, _he agreed, _it's time._

* * *

"You finally understand where you belong," Neji continued, wondering what was taking the proctor so long to call it, but it didn't matter, Uzumaki was done for, "kneeling down before power that can't be changed and knowing your powerlessness. Your dreams will come true if you just work hard? That's just an illusion."

"Is that it," the downed genin asked, "is that all you have to say?"

_What?_

Naruto then proceeded to come to his feet, slowly dusting himself off as he stood up.

_That's not possible, I hit sixty-four of his tenketsu points, there is no way he should be standing up, let alone dusting himself off as if nothing happened._

"Tell me, Neji," Naruto continued as Neji stepped back, but instead of any emotion in his voice, there was nothing, there wasn't even any hate in his eyes, they just were there, judging him, "what gives you the excuse to harm others? What gives you the excuse that you can claim that everything is fated to be?'

He could only grit his teeth as Naruto stood up fully before him now, looking completely unphased by the attack that should have crippled him.

"No way."

"Tell me, Neji. So I can understand. What causes you to bully others? What causes you to attack your own family and tell them they are failures when they are doing their best?"

_Something's changed, there isn't the Naruto from before. What is this?_

"If you insist," he decided to tell him, if anything to try and bide his time even as he took another small step back, "I'll tell you about the Hyuuga's destiny of hatred. In the Hyuuga head family there's a secret Ninjutsu that's passed on from generation to generation. That is-"

"The cursed mark," Naruto interrupted, his eyes narrowing before they shifted up to the stands where he knew Hiashi Hyuuga was for a split second before coming back to Neji.

"So that's it? All of this talk about fate, your treatment of Hyuuga, is all about a grudge? All because you have been marked as a slave to the Head Family?"

"Because my father was taken away from me because Hinata's father could not take responsibility for his actions! My father was sacrificed so he could keep on living. That's why!"

He expected pity, pity that he didn't want. Maybe he expected understanding. Or maybe Naruto would agree with him. What he didn't expect was for Naruto to shake his head and begin chuckling.

"What's so funny?"

"You. You stand there, all high and mighty, talking about fate like its some predestined thing. For a so-called genius you can't see the forest for the trees."

"What do you mean?"

"The fact that you mistook Hinata's kindness and generosity as weakness. When you nearly killed her, you quite possibly destroyed the one chance you had to save future generations from the Caged Bird Seal. You, not fate, moved Hanabi to the forefront of being the heir to the Hyuuga clan. You, not fate, placed a child who will more than likely perpetuate her father and her elder's biases against the Side Branch when she becomes head. You, not fate, have likely doomed unborn children to a fate before they are even conceived. All because you are so obsessed with your grief that you rationalize it as fate."

Naruto just shook his head.

Throughout the entire monologue Neji could only feel himself growing angrier and angrier. How _DARE_ this...this... he couldn't even think clearly as to what to call this. All he knew was that he could not let it pass.

He was already before Naruto who looked him straight in his eyes.

"Hakke Rokujūyon Shō. Two Palms."

His hands shot forward, only for Naruto to already be moving, hands brushing his aside.

It was only two, no matter.

"Four Palms."

Again, they were brushed aside as Naruto slowly slid back.

"Eight Palms."

_Impossible._

"Sixteen Palms."

And yet Naruto parried him again, eyes tracking his hands as his own hands gently brushed them aside, avoiding the potent chakra spikes aimed at his tenketsu.

"Thirty-two Palms."

_This can't be happening._

"SIXTY-FOUR PALMS!"

It was a blur of motion, all of his strikes hitting nothing but vacant air as he brought his hands in for the last two strikes only for them to be stopped millimeters away from striking Naruto, the blonde's hands wrapped tightly around his wrists as he looked at him with those same damn judging eyes.

* * *

_He parried Hakke Rokujūyon Shō, _Hiashi thought in stunned silence looking at the two combatants_, _still locked in a struggle.

* * *

"My turn," Naruto whispered, and the only warning Neji received before his world was turned upside down was the flicker of Naruto's eyes to his left before a fist impacted with his face, causing him to go flying into the ground.

* * *

"Sealless Kage Bunshin," Kakashi breathed, watching as Neji was struck by a clone that appeared out of nowhere.

* * *

Neji brought himself up quickly as he turned to face his opponent who slowly brought his arms down before looking towards him. The Hyuuga could only bring his hand up to rub his cheek at the bruise that was already beginning to form.

"You know Neji. I think it's time for a little comparison here. You really think that since your life has been so tough others should share in your despair. Neji," the blond stated, his voice changed from one of neutrality to coldness that caused even he to shiver slight, "you should be thankful. You actually had the luxury of having a family, a roof over your head, a place you can train, and people to look out out for you. Me? Everyone knows the story, the little orphan that believes he can be Hokage. What a crock, right?"

Naruto tilted his head, a bitter smile crossing over his face.

"Well, as they say. Appearances can be deceiving. So let me tell you a little story, staring with a certain day, October 10th, to be precise, thirteen years ago. I think everyone knows this little story, the Kyuubi no Kitsune descended upon Konoha intent on destroying it. It would have more than likely succeeded if it wasn't for the honorable actions of the Yondaime Hokage in his valiant sacrifice in destroying the Kyuubi and saving all of Konoha from the beast and everyone in Konoha lived happily ever after. Well, at least, that's how the story is told to the children. KAI!"

The orange jumpsuit disappeared before his very eyes, replaced by blue shinobi pants and shirt, as he watched Naruto gain several inches in height as he became just a bit taller than he was. His blond hair grew longer until it fell down in bangs framing his face. Completing the look were small scroll and weapons pouches on his hips, thighs, and back.

"The only problem with that narrative is you can't destroy a being made purely of chakra, Neji," Naruto continued, his voice becoming even icier as if that were possible, "you can only seal it. But the Yondaime was too much of an honorable man to seal the Kyuubi within any child. No, he sealed it within his own son, because he believed that his son could handle it, after all, his wife was the previous jinchiruki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune. He honestly wanted his son to be a hero and he believed in his heart of hearts that the village would see ME as a hero, because after all, I am the prison cell in which the Kyuubi resides. I honestly wonder what he would think now looking at the village and how it has treated me. Child Neglect, Child Abuse, Assault, Attempted Murder, Attempted Poisoning, Psychological Abuse, Torture, they denied me food, they denied me clothing, hell, even my own sensei, the student of my father ignored me. It was only because of the Sandaime Hokage and a few other people who treated me with kindness did I even live to grow strong enough to take care of myself, Neji. And even then, it barely got any better. So no, you will not find pity or understanding from me, because you have nothing compared to the living hell I have suffered through. Yet, here I am, because I refuse to believe in fate, I believe that we make our own fates. And that is why what is about to happen is going to be harder on me than it will be for you."

It was as he finished his little speech that a tri-pronged kunai slipped into his left hand.

* * *

"No way," Tenten gasped, her eyes widening to the size of saucers in spite of what she had just heard that sickened her. There was no mistaking what was in Naruto's hand, there was only one type of tri-pronged kunai in existance and if Naruto's story was true then that meant...

_Oh Kami, we truly messed up here._

"Forfeit Neji," she whispered, "please, forfeit, you can't beat him if he knows _that_ jutsu."

* * *

"That can't be," Ino cried, looking down on Naruto as she shot to her feet, "there's no way that the dead-last can be the son of the Yondaime, though, I have to admit, he looks like a spitting image of him. I mean, where has he been hiding this? It has to be a _**Henge**_"

But for Sakura, she wasn't focused on what Ino was saying, no, she was focused solely upon Naruto's story. It explained everything about him. The glances. The words spoken with abject animosity. Even the weird chakra that Naruto had used against Haku and then again in the Forest of Death.

And she had ignored all of it.

She felt like she was going to be sick.

* * *

"What's he saying," Kiba shouted standing up, "he's the son of the Yondaime? That's crap. There's no way he can be the son of a hero."

"Kiba," Hinata squeaked, trying to raise her voice, her hand reaching up to grab his coat.

"What Hinata," he turned to look at her, "he's gotta be telling another story. You know Naruto, he always likes to make everyone laugh at him, that's what it has to be."

"Kiba, sit," she firmly commanded, finding some spine in there, she wouldn't stand for Kiba mocking Naruto, not when Naruto was so hurt.

She had always suspected there was something more to him. Just the way always seemed to never give up and he always tried to make everyone laugh. It was all a act, that's what it was. The Naruto she had known was just as alone as she was. He suffered quietly sad and alone. She had at least some things for her, but he didn't have anything.

The strong boy that had been her light had actually been so much stronger than she could have ever imagined. And yet, she couldn't help but feel that she should cry for him.

* * *

_The dobe is the son of the Yondaime, _Sasuke could only find himself thinking as he listened to Naruto speak, his hands curled up into fists reflexively. _That can't be true. _

_Because if it was true...that would mean he's the last...like me._

That thought troubled him more than anything else.

* * *

"So, let me get this straight," Kurenai stated angrily, her hands clenching and unclenching as if she were imagining Kakashi's neck as a stress ball, which wasn't far from the truth, Asuma had actually moved to interpose himself between them, more for Kurenai's protection for anything, "not only were you the student of the Yondaime, but the very son of the Yondaime is your student. And it didn't even occur to you that maybe you should do something for him. Asuma, get out of the way, I'm just going to kill him so he can't mess up with anymore of his students."

Kakashi could only close his eye as he felt the glare from Maito Gai burning a hole through him as he kept muttering "Most unyouthful."

* * *

"Is it true, Hokage," Orochimaru asked, surprised by the revelation, but at the same time taking profound delight in both the irony of the situation and the hypocrisy of his sensei. The Uzumaki boy being not only the jinchuriki of the Kyuubi, but also the son of the Yondaime, the man who became Hokage instead of him. Oh, the fun he could have with that boy in his experiments, it took every bit of him not to lick his lips in anticipation, he'd have to make orders to capture him, "is that boy the son of the Yondaime Hokage and the jinchuriki of the Kyuubi?"

"Indeed, Kazekage," the Sandaime replied, not looking back towards him, "it was unfortunate circumstances, but because of his lineage and his prisoner we had to hide the truth from him and others. It was only through luck on his part did he find out who his parents were."

"I see. Most tragic for the young man."

"Oh, I think it's more tragic for the villagers," Hiruzen responded with a smile, "because he is a reminder that the Will of Fire endures in spite of everything. A Will of Fire they willingly extinguished out of fear."

_We'll see how that Will of Fire lasts when I burn this village into ash, sensei._

* * *

Neji glanced at the kunai, taking quick note of its unique shape before focusing on Naruto's form.

He was still trying to figure out how Naruto had parried the _**Hakke Rokujūyon Shō**_, if he could figure it out he could adapt his strikes accordingly. He just needed-

The thrown kunai ruined any further thought as it flew straight towards him, forcing him to quickly produce his own kunai to catch the blade in the ring, only to watch as Naruto flashed into bright yellow and appear before him, hand on the hilt of the weapon, his body contorted into a kick that proceeded to collide with his jaw, cracking it. But that didn't stop there as he suddenly found a pair of feet slamming into his side as he careened out of control to his right sending him up into the air where another Naruto appeared in a puff, fist already being driven straight into his gut. The impact drove the air from him and only was worsened his situation as he was driven straight into the ground by the follow through of the clone before it dispelled.

Dazed already, he only had enough time to acquire in his sight the already in flight kunai, the only warning Naruto appeared before him, lifted him by the neck, and tossed him like a ragdoll back into the air.

He just had time to use his chakra to spin around before that kunai was before him again, Naruto quick to follow as the blond's right hand grabbed him by the face, and he felt another clone appear behind him.

He then heard a whispered, "I'm sorry," like the wind had carried it before he was flipped over so his head was angled for the ground, as the clone behind him wrapped its arms around him, and proceeded to drive him headfirst into the ground in a move that reminded him oddly, before he impacted the ground, of Lee's Omote Renge.

* * *

Next Chapter will of course by the aftermath and a certain avenger's battle with a certain red headed psycho. Until next time.


	5. The Aftermath

**So I kinda lied last chapter, I got to 7800 words and realized that it was better off not having Sasuke in this chapter because it's already so damnably long. Now to respond to the reviews.**

**IAmN0tDead**: I completely blanked out on that one, but I'm going to try and take advantage of the fact that Hiraishin has no discernible color and make it something that Naruto created on his own. It's a trademark and it's designed to instill a bit of psychological fear if someone sees it.

**Elder Sibling:** Already discussed with you over pms but I felt that it would only be fair for those curious. Naruto's taijutsu rating is based upon observation and conferring with the notes he had available, it is not a full assessment, but conjecture. Once he has had a full assessment he will know.

As for the relationship between himself and Kyuubi, think of it as a mutually beneficial and respectful contract between two agreeing partners. While Kyuubi might not be buddy buddy (that will become obvious soon), there is still that level of respect between the two because Naruto has proven himself to be at least reasonably honorable in his delaings.

**Ziactrice: **There will be some work on the relationship between Hinata and Naruto at a later point. Right now, relationship wise, Naruto isn't looking for something like that because he has other more immediate concerns. Then there is the fact that Hinata has issues of her, specifically with her shyness. Naruto can serve as a guide for her to get stronger, but as a romantic interest, not currently.

**Now, on to the chapter. This chapter is serving heavily to establish a majority of Naruto's character, which may be offputting to you. When I started this story I imagined Naruto as this type of jaded individual who has seen the lies that been fed to him and has developed a tough an harder shell to combat it. He's embraced the idea of a shinobi almost to a reverential status, deception, lies, manipulation, they all come secondary to him. But in addition to that, he's very focused on honoring his parents sacrifices by living his life to the fullest he can. He WILL be Hokage in his mind. If he has to stomp on toes along the way then so be it. How he's achieving all of this is that six years, he's spent all of that time preparing himself intellectually, mentally, and physically. He's not a god or anything, he's just realistic and he understands thinking far in advance before acting. Every action has a reaction and his goal is to control the reaction to his benefit.**

**This isn't to say he's cold and heartless or many of those other tropes. He's just complicated. Hopefully that explains what happens in this chapter. My original stuff was a lot better but stupid 's text search function froze it and lost about 500 words of work. If you have anymore questions, just hammer me in a pm.**

**Or better yet, you can hit me up on skype at alex . koons85 if you just want to have a glimpse inside my mind. **

**I'm also looking for a beta to back me up and hit me upside the head when I make a stupid mistake. Feel free to contact me by pm or skype, my phone is literally camping on them both and will alert me immediately unless I'm passed out.**

**Anyways, without further adieu, leave a review if you would kindly.**

**Chapter 4**

**The Aftermath**

Naruto landed back down on the ground with barely an expression as he kept his eyes on the downed Hyuuga. Part of him was displeased with using his techniques against a fellow nin of Konoha, yet at the same time he could only feel satisfied with his accomplishment. Not only had he won, but he had turned it into a statement win using the bare minimum of techniques to do so. That left him plenty more in reserve to use for future engagements that his opponents will be unaware of.

But the largest statement of course was the elephant in the arena. The one jutsu attributed to the Savior of Konoha, a man who many of the current generation looked up to for inspiration.

"Proctor," he started calmly, casting one last look at Neji before turning away, "Neji won't be able to continue this fight. I suggest you call it."

He didn't need to take look back to know that Genma had already gone to check the unconscious Neji and then called the battle in his favor. By then he was to the hall entrance and was entering on his way to the competitor's box. He had other things to do than wait for the reaction of the crowd, of which he had no doubt would be mixed.

Besides, he had several kage bunshin in the crowd to observe it. No use bearing the brunt of it.

* * *

The entire arena was stunned into silence. That was the only way to describe the setting. The reveal of Naruto's lineage, his accusations against the village, and the decimation of Neji. No, to label it as a defeat would be too generous, it was a stomping, the moment Naruto had become serious, the entire battle had changed into a one-sided affair.

The Prodigy, one of the favored to win the Chunin Exams, had been decimated by the dead last. Everyone knew that Uzumaki had been considered one of the worst students to graduate from the Academy in ages thanks to several well placed leaks. Everyone believed that the boy would stand no chance against someone of the prestigious Hyuuga Clan.

Yet, before their eyes, the result was completely different.. No one wanted to breath, it could only be a dream, they were all in a massive dream, or maybe even a nightmare. Yet, it was reality. Cold, harsh, reality, just like the words that had been uttered by the village pariah of what all that had happened to him and his believed truth.

And then reality crashed down, and the held breath was exhaled, as several people started cheering all at once. The absence of activity the cause of such subsequent insanity, and the reaction caught on in the rush for everyone to voice an opinion. Cheers and jeers reverberated throughout the arena as everyone seemed to take a stake in the events.

It was no different for the ones he considered his peers.

* * *

"SUCH YOU A YOUTHFUL DISPLAY," Gai shouted at the top of his lungs, "TO THINK YOUNG NARUTO COULD BEAT NEJI LIKE THAT."

Kurenai and Asuma were talking with one another in hushed tones that no one could hear over the din, and Kakashi really didn't care. He didn't need to know because it was obvious what they were talking about.

Kakashi could only feel utter shame within the hint of pride he had at his sensei's son performing so well. The confirmation of that Naruto could use Hiraishin in combat applications was humbling, both because he was unaware of Naruto's growth and the fact that Naruto refused to even share this with him until slapping him in the face with it twice in one day.

And then he had aired his personal laundry in front of a crowd, declaring that he had willfully neglected Naruto. He couldn't help but be even further ashamed by it, catching the various glances from other shinobi, some approving, which disgusted him even more than the disapproving glances. The fact that they approved the fact that he had treated the son of his sensei worse than trash left him so empty. Everything was now public knowledge and he only felt...empty. That there was not further shame he could descend into, he had failed Obito, failed Rin, failed his sensei and his son.

He was a failure. And there was no amount of penance possible to wash away this egregious sin.

* * *

"Since when did Naruto become so cool," Ino finally breathed, Sakura barely able to hear her friend over the din of the surrounding crowd.

Sakura couldn't find any words to respond as she looked to where the contestant's box was and Naruto was just now appearing within it, ignoring everyone's looks. Instead he merely closed his eyes and leaned up against the wall away from them.

She was scared, that was the only way she could describe it. This wasn't the Naruto she knew, this wasn't the boy that had constantly tried to ask her out, the one that always seemed happy no matter what. This Naruto was cold...harsh...unforgiving. This wasn't that baka at all.

Those eyes, she hated those eyes. They weren't without emotion, they had that same hurt in them, the same loneliness she saw in Naruto when he thought no one was looking. But there was something more, they were eyes of barely restrained fury, at what she had no doubt. He was angry at the world. He was angry at everyone. He was angry at her.

And she was absolutely terrified of what Naruto was capable of now. If he could handle Neji that easily, she would be nothing in the path of his wrath if he ever felt like getting even with anyone.

She needed to talk to him. That was what she needed to do. She needed to say she was sorry. For everything.

* * *

"He won," Kiba cried, "take that prodigies everywhere," he yelled, Akamaru barking with him. It was a strike against the pantheon of the so called elites that seemed to be handed out at random in the academy, and yet, Naruto, with this new look had destroyed Neji like he was nothing. He could only feel better now that Naruto had won. If Naruto could beat Neji there was no chance he could have beaten the dead last.

Hinata could only revel in Kiba's excitement, living vicariously through him. She was too proper to do anything like this in a crowd. Still, Naruto had done it as Kiba had said, he had not only beat Neji, but had done so without grievously harming him. Naruto had kept his promise to her.

And yet at the same time, she could not help but feel a certain sadness to the entire event. Naruto's expressions, his tone, even as he walked away, in spite of defeating Neji so handily, it just spoke of his uncaring attitude to everyone anymore. Had everyone really burned down the bridges to him that he only had himself? Because the way Naruto talked, he was alone.

"Kiba," she asked, finding strength to continue, "did we do Naruto wrong?"

The Inuzuka looked back to her, his smile fading somewhat at her concerned expression.

"What do you mean Hinata? How did we wrong him? I mean, we always did treat him a bit awkwardly, but he was the class clown, he never seemed to take anything seriously. I mean, he kinda earned how we treated him."

"But we never talked to him. The only people that actually did anything with him was Shikamaru and Chouji."

He simply shook his head at her.

"Hey, he knew there were no hard feelings. That was just the way things were."

_I'm not so sure, _Hinata thought quietly, looking to where Naruto stood now in the competitor's box, leaned back against the wall, arms crossed and eyes closed. He looked so composed...so handsome.

She blushed, trying to kill that errant thought. This was serious, Naruto was angry and she's thinking about how handsome he is.

* * *

"Dobe, what the hell was that," Sasuke demanded as he stormed up to the blond who was leaning against the wall now.

"What did it look like, teme," Naruto asked, not opening his eyes, "I fought Neji, Neji went down, I won."

"I wasn't talking about that," he snarled, "what was all of that? What was that jutsu you used? How do you know the **Gōkakyū no Jutsu**?"

Naruto only gave him a nonchalant shrug, "I observed you, Sasuke. I got the hand signs down and then I started experimenting in using the right amount of chakra and breath to create the technique. It was nothing special."

"Nothing special," he snapped angrily, "that jutsu is a coming of age right for the Uchiha and you treat it as-"

"A toy," Naruto asked, eyes opening as he raised an eyebrow, "That's how many people feel about those who have the Sharingan, Sasuke. The ability to copy jutsus without any work pisses people off. No, I know it's very important to you, Sasuke. And you're right in being angry for me stealing it. But do you think I would learn anything from Kakashi when he's so busy doting on you? I thought you would be honored, I actually had to learn something from you to become stronger."

Whatever else he had died in his throat at Naruto's admission, suddenly all of the anger leaving him at that one statement.

_Just what happened to the dobe while I was gone,_ he asked himself quietly.

"And that other jutsu," he asked.

"It's the Hiraishin. And no, unfortunately, I can't teach it you, even if I wanted to."

"Can't or won't."

"Can't," Naruto replied with a sigh, you have to be capable in fuinjutsu in order to use the complex algorithms of the jutsu. I'm not even anywhere near my father's skill with it and I've been working on fuinjutsu for the last five years. It's only now that I have an actual seal master helping me that I'm starting to make sense of all of it."

Sufficiently mollified he focused on the elephant in the room that he really wanted to answer. More so than really any jutsu, though his pride demanded that answered.

"The Yondaime is your father, huh?"

Naruto solemnly nodded, closing his eyes again.

_He had a clan just like I did? He's the last of his clan._

"My mother was one of the last of the Uzumaki of Uzushiogakure," the blond added, causing Sasuke's eyes to widen, knowing that name.

_He's the last of TWO clans,_ he thought in astonishment as he looked over at the unpredictable shinobi.

He had heard of Uzushiogakure and the tragedy that had befallen the clan and village in the opening days of the Third Shinobi War. It had caught Konoha completely flatfooted when Iwa, Kumo, and several other nations banded together to eliminate Uzushiogakure before refocusing on Konohagakure. It had taken almost a week of intense fighting that had cost the allied forces heavily, but in the end Uzushiogakure was destroyed. However, as a result of the intense fighting it had bought enough time for Konoha to mass its forces and defeat the Allied Forces. The cost had been staggering for both sides, but Konoha had survived. As a result, Konoha had adapted the emblem of Uzushiogakure to their own. Every Chunin and Jounin wore it on their flak vest in remembrance of their sister nation.

If Sasuke could feel incredibly small for the shortest of moments, it was now with the horrible realization that not only Naruto was just like him. Naruto shared the burden of loss.

But at least he got to have a family.

* * *

It took all of Orochimaru's restraint not to salivate at the delicious morsel that Naruto Uzumaki. It was obvious to his eyes that the young boy had been hiding his true capabilities in the Forest of Death, he, the Sannin, deceived by a child! If it wasn't such a puzzle as to how the boy had done it he might be angry.

_How? I know I hit him with the Gogyō Fūin, yet his henge didn't fail and his chakra was disrupted. His henge should have collapsed and I didn't see him cancel it. He had to use a Gogyō Kaiin, but the only way was if he had counteracted the disruption with a chakra source which the Kyuubi couldn't provide unless..._

_Oh_, he could not resist licking his lips, _clever little Uzumaki, chakra storage seals. You must have set some type of trigger to where it would normalize your chakra long enough until you could restore it._

And now he had Hiraishin, the iconic jutsu of the Fourth. He HAD to have that jutsu, with that technique and the Sharingan, he shivered at what he could so with such a delightful combination.

He was so focused on the implications he almost missed the boar-masked ANBU that appeared beside his sensei and was leaning over to whisper in his ear.

* * *

"Hokage-sama," causing Hiruzen to look up to the boar-masked ANBU that had appeared beside him, before leaning into his ear and whispering, "the Council has been called for an emergency session."

His expression didn't change but internally he swore. In the middle of the Chunin Exams someone had the nerve to call for a Council session.

"Who called it," he demanded in a harsh whisper, already having a feeling he knew.

"Councilors Homura and Koharu?"

His eyes slid shut in annoyance.

_Danzo._

The better question was why now? What was causing what was usually an unflappable and deliberate series of moves to a goal to be discarded?

His eyes slid to the Kazekage who seemed to be watching him out of the corner if his eye.

_Unless he's aware of something I'm not. Unless Orochimaru is going to attack very soon._

"Very well."

"Hokage-sama?"

"Alert the Clan Heads and the other members if they have not. Looks like they want to force the issue to a head sooner than I thought. And retrieve Naruto Uzumaki while you're at it."

"At once, Hokage-sama."

He then stood up, looking to the Kazekage.

"It appears we might have to have a small intermission, Kazekage-dono. Internal politics as you probably understand."

"I understand your pains, Hokage-dono. This will only drive up the anticipation of the fight between my son and the Uchiha."

_No doubt it will_, he thought as he walk towarfs the edge to make an announcement.

* * *

_Troublesome_, Shikamaru thought as he watched Naruto and the Sasuke relax against the wall. He hadn't been able to catch what Sasuke was saying, but judging by Naruto's reaction it was the usual fare of the Uchiha demanding what wasn't his to begin with. No real surprise there.

No, the surprise wasn't just the fact that Naruto was suddenly a powerhouse. Nor was it the fact that Naruto claimed that he was the Yondaime's, the resemblance was beyond uncanny. It wasn't even the fact that Naruto was a jinchuriki.

No, for Shikamaru, it was the mind that Naruto Uzumaki had that interested him. It took a certain amount of intelligence and strategy to hide one's skill, that was standard shinobi fare. But if his theory was right, this was a several year long project, requiring finely honed strategy, hundreds of contingencies, predictive assessments, and finely measured actions, among other things. If he was right , and he usually was, Naruto may be just as intelligent as he was.

_Exceptionally troublesome_, he thought, looking back to his competitor, Sabaku no Temari. He could more than likely beat her and the puppet user, Shino was a toss up, since his kikaichū were not vulnerable to his shadow possesion jutsu. But even if he beat them all, there was no conceivable way to beat the combination of the Hiraishin and sealless kage bunshin, and that was assuming those were the only tricks the blond had, which he doubted.

After all , the Yondaime was a wind affinity and all Naruto had shown was a fire jutsu, an exceptionally odd choice since if his mother was an Uzumaki. His affinities should be wind and water at best. Which meant that Naruto had diversified his jutsus, exceptionally rare in genins. Top that off with kage bunshin that can use jutsu it was likely he was equipped to use combination jutsus.

He groaned intermally, hating his conclusion. Naruto was at least mid chunin, more than likely higher. There wasn't any way he could win, could he?

_All I wanted to do was lay around and watch the clouds, he thought_ with a heavy sigh.

As that errant thought flitted through his head he watched as Naruto's eyes snapped open into a glare

"Shino, would you kindly keep your bugs to yourself,"

* * *

Shino adjusted his glasses in response to the abrupt demand from Naruto.

"Okay," he responded, finding it more logical to admit being caught in the act than to hide the fact by withdrawing his kikaichū without saying anything. Oddly enough he felt compelled by Naruto's tone than singularly by logic.

Naruto had become a paradox of two personas. He had always has this unfounded suspicion that there was much more to Uzumaki than it seemed. All through the Academy he had found times in which Naruto wasn't Naruto. A momentary flash of uncharacteristic emotion here or there, an unexplained flash of insight, even the one incident in which he struck and knocked down Sasuke in a decidedly professional fashion all added to his suspicion that Naruto was deliberately holding back for an unknown reason.

Now his suspicions were confirmed and as he looked at the new template that was what he was labeling the true Naruto, he found that the scant information he had on this Naruto more than just the unpredictable shinobi he had always been.

It made him unfathomably dangerous.

* * *

It was certainly different for him, having Sasuke beside him like this. He had always wondered the stability of the Uchiha with his constant fixation with killing his brother. But then again, while he did not have an analogous situation. He understood the sentiment. It was why, out of all if his graduating class, Sasuke was the one who he identified with the most.

He was like a brother he would never have.

"Sasuke."

"Hn?"

"About Gaara..."

"I know. I will take your word of advice and deal with him accordingly."

He could only blink, for once, completely surprised by the development to his former teammate. He had expected Sasuke to drag his feet and brush off his comments with a quick mention of his status as dobe.

He could only smile slightly as he turned his head to look at the Uchiha.

"And what brought this on?"

The Uchiha smirked that all-too-annoying Sasuke smirk.

"I figured you'd be out to prove who was the better of the two of us. If that was so you'd be trying your best to make sure I win."

Was Sasuke...wow, definitely unexpected.

"I'll be expecting you in the next round. You still don't have a chance against me, teme."

This earned a scoff from the Uchiha.

"You've always been a one-trick ninja, dobe. You have nothing I haven't seen before."

They glared at each other for the longest time before he broke into a wide grin, Sasuke's corresponding widened smirk signifying he found some amusement in their exchange.

"Naruto Uzumaki," Boar appeared in a swirl of leaves, "the Hokage has requested your presence."

"Well, duty calls Sasuke," he then nodded to the ANBU to shunshin him away.

* * *

Hiruzen Sarutobi wanted to smoke so badly he was starting to feel his skin crawl for that familiar feel and texture of smoke filling his lungs and taking the edge away from his stress. Unortunately, Council rules forbade him the luxury of having that much-wanted smoke.

Taking a look around the room he noted the entirety of the clan heads had arrived. That would probably be beneficial if the subject was what he was sure it was going to be.

The Civilians on the other hand were a mixed bag, ranging from outright hatred to ambivalence. It just depended on the financial damage and loss of life caused by the Kyuubi attack. The general situation was that many of the wealthier civilian businesses who survived the attack leaned upon others to push their brand of hate on Naruto.

And then there was Danzo. The one major threat to Naruto in this room and likely ringleader of this entire farce.

Choosing to stand up as the whispering had begun to rise he decided that it was time.

"I call this Council meeting to order. This is an odd time to be holding it I know considering that right now the Chunin Exams have been delayed. I yield the floor to Advisors Homura and Koharu to explain why they have chosen to call us here when we should be enjoying the Exams."

Judging by the look on Koharu's face the slight had bedn received loud and clear.

"Thank you Hokage-sama. Councilors and Clan Heads I have called you here for the most urgent of matters. As you are all probably aware, shortly ago a genin during the Chunin Exams violated several laws enacted by the Sandaime Hokage. Furthermore, this same genin has placed village security at risk by outing his unique status in front of foreign nations in addition to slandering the honorable departed Yondaime-sama by claiming he is kin, an impossibility. We have called this Council because of the treasonous conduct being exhibited by this genin and ask that we rule upon this forthwith."

A murmur broke loose within the council as almost everyone knew who the Advisors were referring to, faced with the possibility that this was going to get out of control quickly if a lid was not put on it.

"Clan Heads and Councilors," he called out, "what Advisors Homura and Koharu say are correct to an extent, but we should not be judging this genin without him here to defend himself. That is why I have summoned him here to answer your questions."

The doors then opened to reveal Naruto and Jiraiya as they walked in before the Council. The murmur turning into a dull roar.

"I give the floor to Genin Uzumaki to defend himself."

* * *

Everyone who knew Hiashi Hyuuga knew that the clan head the most impressive of poker faces. Hardly ever did he express himself in public outside of a twitch of the eye or mouth in response to others. No one could safely say they had ever seen him be that expressive in their lifetimes, even in the few battles they had seen him. He was cold as ice.

Yet, as he watched the Uzumaki boy walk into the room, if one looked closely enough, they would have seen his eyes narrow.

Externally, Hiashi was the same as always. Internally, he was a storm of thoughts and emotions. The boy who was a spitting image of his father was the sole source of it. There was no denying the fact that Naruto Uzumaki was the son of the Yondaime and Kushina Uzumaki, and he had been damnably stupid not to recognize it because of his pride.

That and a healthy dose of henge and genjutsu. How he had been able to do it escaped him, but the fact that Naruto had been able to hoodwink even his eyes was enough to tell him that Naruto was a danger. The question was to what level and what kind of danger was he?

He had already proven that he can use his father's signature jutsu, though the added flourish of yellow was questionable, he had somehow parried the **_Hakke Rokujūyon Shō_**, something that should be an impossibility for someone of genin caliber, evade maybe, but not physically parried like it was. Then there was the fact that he had completely destroyed Neji, a prodigy and probably one of the most capable of the Hyuuga in terms of overall skill judging by his performance, only added to the threat profile of the boy. There was also no doubt in his mind that the Uzumaki was holding back.

But he had also shown himself to be brash, airing all of his grievances in a public setting was irresponsible. At least, that had been his first opinion of it, but upon second look it was the perfect political ploy. By Naruto declaring all of the offenses they have inflicted upon him, he could then turn around and point out that even in spite of it he was a capable shinobi and a loyal nin. It was clever and subtle at the same time, not many would see the ploy, instead be focused on his righteous anger and the fact that he dared to call them out for it.

Still, there was a long way for the boy to go, this Council meeting could destroy him before he even had a chance to establish himself.

So the question became, what should he, as the head of the Hyuuga clan do, if anything, for the Uzumaki? Probably the most logical route would be to wait and see how Naruto does here. But after that, he would probably have to start making amends with the boy. Since he was aware of his parentage, then there was a likely probability that he could more than likely be aware of the fact that as the head of two clans he had two seats in the council if he played his cards right, which made him a massive power bloc that rivaled the Hyuugas, and that was while it was in its nascence. If the boy could wield it then it would be pragmatic to approach the Uzumaki in a way to play him to at least be neutral in regards to Hyuuga interests.

The only problem was the look the Yondaime's son had given to him when Neji had aired the existence of the Hyūga Sōke no Juinjutsu. The look of utter fury had taken him aback. But then again, there was the possibility that Uzuamaki knew the origins of the seal. If that was so then that could be a problem.

It may reach the point to where he might have to use Hinata as a political pawn to subdue the ire of the boy. If Uzumaki felt like it, he could demand that the seal be removed because it was originally an Uzumaki seal designed for prisoners guilty of capital crimes before the Hyuuga Elders had taken and bastardized it into its current iteration. The claim to right could destroy the balance of power within the Hyuuga Clan and cause an internal civil war.

Hinata might be his only way to calm the storm, though, if it was true, it might actually worsen the condition considering Hinata's own opinions on the family business.

Only time could tell, but for now, he would have to wait and see what this Uzumaki could do before he made a decision.

* * *

Things were definitely moving a lot faster than he expected. There was no doubt in his mind that he would have been called to the floor of the Council, but not until after the Exams. Which meant someone was panicking, but why.

There was something he wasn't seeing and that made him anxious. To not see what needed to be seen had claimed many a life over the time since man walked the Elemental Nations, it was only worse for Shinobi, to see underneath the underneath was a life-saving skill that needed to be honed as fast as possible.

So the question now was first, who had called the Council, and second, what was the reason that the person did so? Was it for simple reasons or was it for something more complex? He would have to play this very close to the vest, though, if Jiraiya was here it was likely he was here to prove his paternity.

"Naruto Uzumaki," the Sandaime began as he came to a stop in the center of the room, "you have been summoned to answer accusations levelled against you including violating laws set down by myself in lieu of the attack of the Kyuubi no Kitsune, leaking of your status as a jinchuriki of the aforementioned Kyuubi, and slander against the Yondaime Hokage."

"I believe I have the right to face my accusers."

There was a quick shift of the eyes to Danzo by Homura which caused Naruto to frown internally. So it was Shimura. That doesn't bode exactly well if he is running this from the hip.

As much as he thought disparagingly he actually respected the cripple in his own way. The man was the example by which all shinobi should live by, always protecting Konoha from the shadows. The problem was the man's intent. Shimura was not so much loyal to Konoha as much as he was himself. The man didn't understand that there was much more to the Hokage position than simply fear

Still, the man deserved the proper respect, he had done quite a lot in the shadows, even if it was inhuman what he did to his followers.

"Genin Uzumaki are you aware-," began Homura as he stood up with Koharu and approached him, reaching the prescribed distance for etiquette.

"My apologies Honorable Elder, but may I ask as to why the Civilian Councilors are here?"

_When in doubt go on the offensive_, he thought as Homura's beginning spluttered to a stop, obviously taken aback by his audacity.

"We are here, brat, because we are part of the Council that will decide your fate."

"How so," he asked with furrowed eyebrows, following the wisdom of his father that all politics were theater, "the matters of a shinobi's conduct are solely under the purview of the Shinobi Council consisting of the clan heads and Hokage as stipulated by the Nidaime's decision to institute a civilian council to assist in the operation of Konoha during wartime circumstances. While I, as well as all other nin of Konoha, can appreciate the contributions the civilian sector has made over the years, Councilor Tanaka-san, it has no jurisdiction or purpose in these proceedings."

He then looked to the Hiruzen.

"I would respectfully ask the Hokage that he dismisses the Civilian Council from these proceedings. I also offer my sincerest apologies that their time has been wasted when they could have enjoyed the festivities of the Chunin Exams."

A twitch of the lip was the only tell that the Sandaime found amusement in Naruto pointing out the rules of the Council.

"The Genin is correct in his assessment, Councilors, I must ask you to leave."

Shouting almost immediately commenced, the Councilors angered by being dismissed, all because a Genin, the container of the Kyuubi, of all things called their presence into question.

"Silence," the Sandaime shouted, throwing out a massive amount of killer intent, "all civilian council are to leave this meeting, immediately."

It took a minute or so, but the room was now empty of civilians. He woild have to make it up to them at some later time, but one crisis at a time.

A barking laugh brought him out of his thoughts as Tsume Inazuka, Kiba's mother and head of the Inazuka clan, was laughing.

"I've always wanted to see those illustrious councilors put in their place, but to have a kid do it," she shook her head before waving her hand, "continue. I'm done."

"My apologies again Honorable Council," he stated with a bow, thankful for the interruption so he could retask on the matter at hand, "Honorable Elder Homura, would you please give me the first charge so I may refute it?"

"Violating the Third's decree to not reveal the current container of the Kyuubi no Kitsune, a treasonable offense."

_And easiest to defeat_.

"May I ask a question?"

"You may."

"How many citizens of Konoha have been executed for violating this decree?"

Homura frowned, looking to Koharu who wore a blank expression.

Good, they didn't know.

"Twenty-three, Honorable Elder. Twenty-three villagers found guilty of violating the decree when it should have been a lot more. Sandaime-sama," he continued, looking to his jiji, "wasn't the original intent of your decree to afford me a normal life?"

"It was," the wisened old man replied with a sullen expression.

"Then using the original intent as the basis of my rebuttal, I point to the villagers own actions in direct violation of the decree. Through my life I have been treated as the village pariah, while they may have not used the term of Kyuubi, they instead used words like demon or told their children and others that I'm a monster and should be treated accordingly. Yet none of these offenders were brought to justice. You now stand here accusing me of violating a law that is common knowledge and is no longer enforced correctly. In addition, I refute it completely on the grounds that the law does not apply to me because of the way Sandaime-sama framed the original decree allowing the Hokage, certain members of the Council, and myself the option to disseminate this information among the villagers."

"Genin Uzumaki's interpretation is correct," Inoichi Yamanaka interrupted, "the Sandaime's decree made no mention of the genin other than the discussion of the identity of the container by the villagers was forbidden."

"Thank you Yamanaka-san," he replied with a curt nod, "Honored Elder, my second charge please."

"Dissemination of the identity of the container of the Kyuubi."

"I'm sorry but that's a trap charge predicated on that I never reveal my tenants power under any circumstances, including life-or-death situations. I can't refute or argue the charge because I was already guilty the moment I breathed after the sealing of the Kyuubi into me. The Kyuubi's chakra passive enhances my ability to heal from wounds and battle damage. What could take week or months for a normal shinobi to heal only takes me days to a week at most. I am merely guilty by existing."

_Besides, the fox is already out of the bag so to speak with Orochimaru's knowledge, it wouldn't have been long that he slipped the knowledge into the ears of Kumo or Iwa, the Snake wouldn't be able to resist having me killed in an ironic fashion by my father's enemies._

"Very well then," Koharu spoke , "the final charge is slander against the Yondaime by claiming you are his son."

He knew the last one was a grasp at straws, but even then, _**really****?!**_ In front of his father's sensei and predecessor. Desperate.

"I guess how I look is not irrefutable evidence so I ask that Jiraiya of the Sannin and the Sandaime Hokage to confirm my parentage."

"The gaki is correct. Naruto Uzumaki is the son of the Yondaime Hokage, Minato Namikaze, and his wife Kushina Uzumaki. I was there at their wedding and checked in several times during the pregnancy."

After Jiraiya finished the Sandaime spoke, "I can likewise confirm Naruto's claim, I was one of the first to come upon Naruto after the Kyuubi's attack, both of his parents were there beside him already deceased."

"What," Tsume snarled, her clawed fingers digging into the wood as she leaned forward, "you're telling me the pup here is related Kushina Uzumaki?"

"That is correct, Inuzuka-sama," Naruto replied milking the sadness in his tone, "my surname wasn't just randomly given. It actually belonged to my mother, the previous jinchuriki of the Kyuubi."

Her head whipped towards the Sandaime, before then focusing on the Elders.

"You willfully kept the boys true identity from a Council that would have been more than happy to care for this boy? There are several clans in here who would have done just about anything for him and you threw him out there as an orphan? Pardon my disrespect, but are you fucking stupid?"

"Tsume is correct," Chouza Akimichi replied solemnly, "by putting the boy, let alone the container of the Jinchuriki, into public circulation with lax and minimal guard is the height of idiocy. The boy should have had a roof over his head and plenty to eat, not be treated as he claims."

"Of course, there is the seal integrity to take into consideration as well," this time it was Shikaku Nara, "I'm sad to say that we turned a blind eye to the genin simply because of the actions of his tenant. If we had paid more attention and actually thought through our actions, we would have realized we dropped the kunai. The fact that Uzumaki here is the heir to not one, but two, clans makes whoever has been running interference in preventing any of us in protecting him personally responsible for placing village security at risk. Those security concerns aside, what if Iwa or Kumo discovered who young Naruto here was? Do you really think that a boy on his own with hardly any protection would be safe from any capture or kill teams dispatched from the two?"

It was Hiashi who surprised everyone by standing up abruptly, his face a mask of congealed rage

"Have the years have dulled any resemblance of common sense? With the pitiful level of security for Uzumaki-san, it would have taken _one _look from the Kumo Ambassador, a few questions that the civilians would have answered without thinking twice, and instead of an attempt to kidnap my daughter we would have likely gotten a successful attempt to steal not only the heir of the Yondaime and a jinchuriki, but the heir of the _only_ clan that is related to the Senju themselves."

"It was my decision with consultation from the Honorable Advisors," Hiruzen finally spoke with a hint of sadness noting the glares being levelled at himself, Homura, and Koharu, "I honestly believed that I could trust the village to actually honor the will of fire and treat the boy with a modicum of respect. However, by the time I realized that that would not happen it was already too late, any additional protection would have caused too much attention to be focused upon Naruto. Furthermore, the Honorable Advisors correctly pointed out that any visible attempts at protecting Naruto would have resulted in even worse issues. I chose discretion both to avoid internal strife, but also also out of naivete."

The room fell silent again at the man that they considered the God of Shinobi acting...remorseful. Even Naruto felt uncomfortable even though he had brought this on, it was so hard to see the old man in pain.

"Elder Homura," he spoke, trying to remove the pall that had descended in the room, "are there any further accusations you wish to level towards me?"

"No," the elder replied, looking back to Koharu, who shook her head, "we withdraw our challenge."

"Thank you," Hiruzen spoke, "is there anyone else?"

"Genin Uzumaki," a new voice spoke, causing everyone to look towards the source, as Danzo Shimura's eye opened to look at Naruto, "would you explain your conduct in the Forest of Death?"

He frowned, _what was Danzo playing at?_

"Can you please elaborate?"

"It is obvious that you deliberately withheld information from the Sandaime Hokage about your capability, but I would like to know when you were engaged with Orochimaru why did you continue your charade as a weakling?"

_Dammit, he had to ask that question_, he thought grinding his teeth as the Council exploded, this time with demands for explanations as to why Orochimaru was within the Forest of Death and why some of them were hearing it now. If Tsume's rage was bad before it was reaching apoplectic proportions. Jiji was glaring towards Danzo with a barely hidden look of fury while Shikaku looked thoughtful. The two elders were suppressing their smirks.

He glanced towards Jiraiya whose hands were clenched into fists as he also was glaring at Danzo.

_I guess I will just have to come out with the truth_, he thought.

"Shimura-san," he started, "during the engagement with Orochimaru I was faced with a snap-second decision in regards to Orochimaru. I knew enough of him from the notes that I had that the Snake Sannin was just too much for me to handle, even if I tapped into my ability to wield the Kyuubi," there was a choking sound from someone, "there is no way I would have been able to beat him. I was straight outclassed even with the Hiraishin, which, contrary to everyone's belief, is an incomplete jutsu for me. I was faced with the decision of maintaining the charade of my weakness and capitalize on Orochimaru's intent to merely play with us or risk trying to engage Orochimaru seriously, causing him to recognize the necessity in killing myself and my teammates. Furthermore, I was already nursing my damages when Orochimaru used the _**Gogyō Fūin**_ to disrupt my chakra flow and cause me to resort to reserves until I could undo the damage with a counter-seal. Faced with a known and highly dangerous quantity that had shown a less-than-fatal hostility, I chose to refrain from showing my true capabilities because I could not use my Hiraishin to transport my teammates to safety if my attempt had failed. As to the reason I deliberately withheld my strength from the Sandaime, I already have explained to him my reasoning and he agreed with the judgment. After all, the foundation of the shinobi world is deception, a tradition that serves as the roots for the Will of Fire bathes the world in shadow."

Immediately he knew his words had an impact as Danzo's eyes widened just a small titch, even as Hiruzen's narrowed at him. It was a calculated gamble on his part, he knew Danzo was looking for ways to get him into ROOT by any means available. What better solution to the current situation than to set up the foundation for a dialogue between the two of them in the future? Since he didn't necessarily disagree with the mummified shinobi, by sprinkling in a few keywords, he knew he would at least intrigue Shimura at the possibility of a possible alliance. A dangerous game yes, but when wasn't the shinobi life dangerous?

"I stand satisfied with Genin Uzumaki's assessment and hereby withdraw my statement and accusations," Danzo responded.

He sighed internally, relieved at dodging that shuriken. He would just need to figure out a way to contact Danzo later to talk.

"Are there any others," the God of Shinobi then asked, this time leaking a bit of killing intent into the question, knowing it would deter others from saying anything, "very well, then the charges leveled against Genin Uzumaki are dismissed. We can now-"

_It's time_.

"My apologies, Hokage-sama," he spoke, "I believe there is one more thing that needs to be discussed before we dismiss the Council. I wish to be recognized as the heir to both the Namikaze and Uzumaki clans and be afforded all rights, possessions, and privileges that have been held in a trust until such a time in which I could inherit it. Since my parentage has been discussed and confirmed, I believe it is only proper that I receive what is by all right's mine. Furthermore, I would respectfully ask the Council to rule on revealing the true events of the Kyuubi Incident thirteen years ago to the village as a whole after the Chunin Exams. I believe everyone deserves the truth."

"That's impossible," Koharu rasped, "the Uzumaki seat is merely a ceremonial seat, it has no-"

"Actually, it is a legitimate seat," Sarutobi interrupted, "it has only been treated as a ceremonial seat because both times in which it was offered it was turned down, first by the Shodaime's widow due to age, and then by the Yondaime's wife because she refused what would be required of the seat if she did accept it."

"The Clan Restoration Act **(See Note Below)**, " Jiraiya breathed, a bit of awe in his voice. Naruto could only cringe at what could be going through the pervert's head right now. The man better not be thinking of Icha Icha again or he was going to find another explosive note under his bed.

But he knew perfectly what it meant, it was actually quite simple. It allowed him the option of having multiple wives in order to restore a clan, however, because he would be restoring two clans it would require him to assume at minimum two wives in order to continue both lines. It was something he wasn't exactly interested in, but he understood the potential it served as a political weapon. The only downside was that it was a double-edged sword if not wielded correctly, with outsiders able to use several flaws in the law in order to benefit themselves. However, he had a good understanding on how to work the system and how to set it up to where he could continue being a Shinobi, but also achieve his goals without necessarily enslaving himself to the law.

"I'm aware of what would be required of me if I choose to assume both seats," he spoke softly, not as someone who looked forward to it, but as someone who understood the responsibility he was accepting it, "but it is my choice regardless. I choose to assume both seats and accept the requirements as put forward the CRA."

He knew Jiji was going to give him a firm tongue-lashing later and he rightfully deserved it, but things should not be taken in half-measures. You either went big or you went home, and he was already in knee-deep in the muck. He couldn't afford a moment's hesitation or caution, he needed to pick the most advantageous of options and run with them.

"Troublesome," Shikaku muttered, earning a faint smile from the elder Nara shook he his head, "you do realize what you are doing? Iwa will more than likely stop at nothing to eliminate you simply out of spite."

"I'm well aware of the situation," he responded, "but I am also aware a possible opportunity that can stem from the decision of this council to honor my request."

The Nara's brow furrowed in consternation, obviously trying to figure out what his angle was. Opportunity and Iwa were mutually exclusive terms, to find something that made the two work together would take an act of Kami to find.

"What kind of opportunity," it was Hiashi that asked, his expression one of a frown.

"I am son of the Yondaime Hokage, the Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune, and I know the Hiraishin," he began keeping his face impassive, "those three things are enough to cause nightmares for not only the Tsuchikage but also Iwa. I suggest we take advantage of this."

"You don't mean," the Sandaime Hokage asked.

Naruto nodded, "I suggest we reach out to the Tsuchikage with a marriage proposal between myself...and Kurotsuchi of Iwa."

* * *

A/N: Next chapter will be Sasuke vs Gaara and the subsequent events everyone knows.

Furthermore, I will be changing the writing style from a first person to a more overview after the Sasuke battle, because the reactions will be generally over. Hopefully that will clean up some of the problems people may be having.

**Update 11/23/13:**

**Just for reference, the CRA in this fic has a purpose. And no, it is not for sex or for Naruto to have a massive harem of all the ladies in Naruto. There's an actual reason he is pursuing the CRA and quite honestly, it's for power. More will be detailed in later chapters, so don't be discouraged by the fact that there is the CRA in this fic, fanon as it is.**


	6. Machinations and an Avenger's Charge

**You know that feeling as a writer to when you are desperately trying to write less but in the process manage to write even more than you had intended? That was this chapter. Tie in the fact that my HD failed last week destroying a lot of my notes and work I've literally been fighting being in the doldrums and trying to recover the work I had done on other fics to no avail. I actually lost the next chapter of Fated in Blood because of it.**

**Before I answer some reviews here, let me clear the air here by going into detail on the elephant in the room, the CRA. While it will be only gone over upon very lightly in this chapter, I want to put it down officially before any of you think otherwise:**

**I am not writing a 'harem' fanfic in that this story will have sex. Fanfiction already has enough of those fics to where treading that line is an ad nauseam affair. Intead, what I am going to do with the CRA is approach it from the political point of view because that is what Naruto is. The Clan Restoration Act is merely a means of attaining power and protection for himself. There is no intent on being a player of surrounding himself with buxom women to serve his appetite, he's only thirteen and he's more focused on creating a buffer zone that prevents the village from turning on him and trying to kill him. He's using the CRA through sheer pragmatic means because it gains him such a power bloc on the Council, giving him two seats to vote upon instead of one.**

**Next, Kurotsuchi, not so sure what angle I'm taking with her. It may develop into something, it may not, but Naruto in this chapter will explain just exactly why he is doing it, as I have informed some people in messages.**

**Now, to the review answers.**

**Forgotmypassword**: The Team 7 bashing will die down after this chapter, a lot of what I had aimed has been achieved, though there is some future work between Naruto and Kakashi I plan to work upon.

**SwordShieldandBuckler: **Because Naruto earned them through working through it himself. What Jiraiya was doing was handing him it based upon who his family was and not upon his own individual merit. Naruto was offended by that fact, if Jiraiya had said it was because he had learned the Hiraishin or the fact of his fuinjutsu skill then he would have accepted it without too much complaint. But Jiraiya just was going to hand it to him for not doing anything by his own power to earn it. That's why he made it the terms for if he passed the Chunin Exams. The rest honestly, is a nonsensical tl;dr, no offense.

**Bunnyguest: **If anything, Naruto is just jaded, he's not root or evil. He has taken the idea of surviving to an obsessive state. There will be something happening between Kakashi and Naruto in the near future.

**FF8cerberus: **It's a good question, Hinata is not aware of it, but the fact that Naruto has enacted the CRA means that you can bet that the Hyuuga's aren't going to take this lying down now that they have a challenger in the Council.

**Lynphea: **Love is subjective in Naruto's mind. He's doing this out of political and survival considerations. If something results from it, so be it, if not, well, he'll cross that bridge when he gets there.

**jh831: ** I actually read the origin of the mantra from Assassin's Creed, it's a good book. But it's a bit of AC and a bit of Freespace 2's Mod War in Heaven, if you have a PC and a good enough processor, I suggest you take a crack at that if you love simulation games, it is one of the best mods I have had the honor of playing.

**Mas2009: ** Yes and no. He is on a leash, yes, because he can only act in some ways without worrying about lashback from the populace. But the Council is more of a toss-up, that's part of the reason Naruto's angling into the Council in order to make allies who will cover for him.

**Sinister Bowser: **I was wrong when I discussed in my private message about covering it in this chapter, so I will just go into detail here. Technically, in order to fulfill the CRA, he needs at minimum two women and he has to consummate the relationship by the age of 18. If he fails to do or he dies before that point, then, depending on the circumstance, either his estate will fulfill in the event of his death, or the Hokage and Council will determine what viable candidates there are in order to fulfill the requirements of the CRA, those women will then fall under the estate's executor that has been designated by Naruto in the event of his death. What will be discussed later is that the CRA isn't this expansive because it wasn't looked at as a political weapon like how Naruto wields it, but as a means of passing down the line. What Naruto is doing is taking advantage of the various loopholes and interpretations in order to use the CRA as a weapon to continue his line completely outside of the control and devices of the Council. Naruto has spent years observing and analyzing how to play the system and now he is executing it.

**NoexMoe: **Oh, the Sasuke Retrieval Arc will certainly be interesting. In fact, things are about to change within the next chapter or so. As Samuel L. Jackson says in Jurassic Park, "Hold on to your butts."

**NIGHT3187: **Danzo is a necessary evil of the shinobi world. Honestly, if he wasn't obsessed with his own power he would be the perfect weapon for Konoha. There will be a lot more to go with Danzo in the near future.

**Review answers out of the way, well, here you guys are the next chapter. Leave me your thoughts. I'm still looking for a beta to keep me in line, hit me up if you are interested or just want to needle my brain.**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

_**Machinations and an Avenger's Charge**_

Pupiless pale violet eyes snapped open, taking in the dull white ceiling before him.

_I lost_, he realized, the events of the fight flashing through his head, the face of a blond with cold blue eyes staring at him in congealed rage.

And yet, that hadn't happened. Instead he found himself here, a loser with nothing left.

_...You will not find pity or understanding from me, because you have nothing compared to the living hell I have suffered through. Yet, here I am, because I refuse to believe in fate, I believe that we make our own fates._

"Were we much the same," he murmured that rhetorical question as he slid his eyes shut again.

"Yes and no," came the answer he wasn't expecting, causing his eyes to snap open and shift towards the blond sitting in a chair by his bed. The same blond that had just beat him.

"Don't worry. I'm just here to talk, the boss man's busy dealing with other matters. That and the Council has decided that it is not exactly comfortable with the Kyuubi's container being so strong," the clone offered with a wry smile.

_He's not lying_, Neji thought, watching the facial expressions of the clone, letting out a sigh.

"What do you want to talk about," he asked, if the blond deemed it important to send a Kage Bunshin while he's in a Council meeting then it was unwise to send him away in spite of his wish to be alone.

"Can I see the seal?"

Automatically Neji bristled without second thought, both at the reminder of his curse and the ingrained response and Hyuuga should have to an outside asking to see their seal.

"Why," he demanded.

"The Boss called it professional curiosity. But he told me to tell you that let's just say, hypothetically, he is aware of what the seal that binds you to the Side Branch most likely is. And, hypothetically speaking of course, that if the boss's suspicions are confirmed he will be most displeased with the Hyuuga Main Branch for stealing an Uzumaki clan seal designed for the maintenance of prisoners to enslave people. Furthermore, he would be so inclined to correct the Hyuuga crimes against the Side Branch."

He could only blink at the statement from the blond, trying to grapple with what he just said.

"Why," he asked, "why are you doing this?"

"He already told you Neji, boss believes in making your own fate. How can you decide your own fate when you are enslaved to someone else's whims?"

Neji could only stare at the clone for a few more moments, feeling a foreign emotion he hadn't felt in so long.

Could he dare to hope in a boy who had just defeated him? Could he afford not to?

He closed his eyes, straightening to look at the ceiling again.

"Do it."

He didn't need to see what the clone was doing, he already knew. Every year the clan did an 'integrity check' on the seal. It was both a diagnostic and reminder of their status.

"Those idiots," the clone snarled, causing Neji's eyes to snap open at the clone's face frozen into a mask of fury, an expression he hadn't seen yet from the blond.

"What?"

"They used a modified Uzumaki prison seal," the clone replied darkly, "but whoever did the modifications was a complete and utter fool! There are two backdoors and a hair-trigger fail-safe that can be unstable if there is one deviation in the algorithm. Not only that, but the _esteemed imbeciles_ of the Hyuuga main branch are using a seal that shaves off years of a Side Branch members' life expectancy due to brain hemorrhaging whenever they use it. Tie in a chakra inhibitor and even I want to go over and start demanding answers of the Elders."

"Can you remove it?"

"Yes. One of the backdoors is a safeguard the Uzumakis purposefully put in. After the First Shinobi World War, the Uzumaki Clan recognized the danger of their own fuinjutsu used against them and installed a way for members of the Uzumaki clan to be able to subvert and nullify the seal. It takes a seal master to recognize the subtle algorithm variations embedded in the seal. Any attempt at modifying it outside of the seal superstructure will result in a seal fizzle."

The clone then paused, looking back and out the door.

"Someone's coming. Neji, if you truly want to make your own fate, then meet with the boss after the Chunin Exams."

The clone then disappeared in a yellow flash, just right before the door opened and doctor came in. But Neji hardly paid any mind to him, instead relaxing in the bed and closing his eyes.

For the first time and a long time, he saw some light at the end of the tunnel.

* * *

000

* * *

Meanwhile, another meeting was going on at Training Ground, where Sakura, Ino, Kiba, and Hinata were currently standing around awaiting the arrival of a certain blond.

After the fight with Neji they had been surprised by a Naruto in disguise asking them if they wanted answers. With the declaration of an intermission of two hours, with the exceptions of Chouji and Tenten, they had all agreed, following the clones to the training ground until they dispersed, leaving them there.

That had been five minutes ago.

"Seriously, he tells us he'll meet us here and then he dissappears," Kiba exclaimed with Akamaru barking in agreement, "I swear, if we miss the Chunin Exams-"

"And Sasuke," Ino interjected, earning a a flash of irritation from the dog-nin.

"And Sasuke, I don't care how good he is, Akamaru and I will kick his ass."

"Please," Sakura retorted, "a flea-bath could beat you."

"What was that, pinky?"

"You heard me mutt boy."

"Ano," Hinata spoke, quietly, "we shouldn't be fighting amongst ourselves like this. There's probably a good reason Naruto is running behind."

"Good reason and Naruto," Sakura replied out of reflex, "are contradictions. The baka never has a good reason for anything."

"How about making sure you weren't being followed," came a response from above them, causing them to look up to where Naruto was sitting on the branch, "but no Sakura, do go on, what else were you going to say about me?"

Sakura found her tongue-tied at the look of wry amusement on Naruto's face and the fact that he had overheard her statement. A horrible way to start off her apologizing to Naruto.

Taking her silence as her being finished, he jumped down to the ground, placing his hands into his pockets, his eyes roaming over them.

"So," his expression softened, "you all have questions, I have answers."

"Ano-"

"When did you get so handsome," Ino gushed, "I mean, you were so scrawny and now you're hot! That isn't a henge right?"

_Leave it to Ino to not be serious about this_, Sakura thought crassly, but Naruto's reaction surprised her.

"It's not a henge," he responded without hesitation, "and I wouldn't know anything about my look. I've been working out and eating right for awhile now. Like a proper shinobi should, I guess," he added with a shrug.

_If only Sasuke looked like that_, Ino thought with a hint of jealousy.

"Ano," Hinata began, only to be again interrupted, this time by Kiba.

"Are you seriously the son of the Yondaime?"

"Kiba," Hinata warned, catching Naruto's expression tighten, the eyes flashing dangerously for an instant. She didn't know how to take this Naruto, he seemed so...intimidating. The eyes, the bearing, the mannerism, there wasn't a hint of the Naruto she had come to fall in love with. It was as if the Naruto she knew was merely a mask and she honestly did not know-

"I am," Naruto replied a moment later, his gaze shifting to Sakura, "Sakura, you were the top student in the Academy. What was the signature jutsu of the Yondaime?"

"The Hiraishin no Jutsu," she replied automatically as if she were back in the classroom.

"And what was so special about the Hiraishin?"

"Hiraishin was a point-to-point teleportation jutsu using elements of the Nidaime's Hiraishin. The key difference was that the Yondaime incorporated the Hiraishin seals into a tri-pronged kunai," she trailed off as she realized what she had said.

"So you have his jutsu," the dog-nin responded with a dismissive shrug, "that doesn't make you his son."

_He really is an idiot, _Sakura thought. She was now convinced without a trace of doubt that Naruto was telling the truth. There were just too many facts lining up the fact, Naruto's birthdate, his admission that he was the container of the Kyuubi, the fact that he was a spitting image of his father, and the Hiraishin. They all combined into that single incontrovertible truth, something that no one in the village wanted to acknowledge even when it stared them straight in the face: that the boy that everyone scorned was the son of their hero.

But before she could dismiss Kiba's statement, an unlikely source spoke up.

"But he is," Hinata replied forcefully before erupting into a coughing fit causing all rebuffs to go silent.

But what happened next surprised everyone as the blond jinchuriki stepped forward towards Hinata, causing the latter to blush as he stared at her.

"Lay down," he commanded softly after Hinata's coughing subsided..

"Naruto!"

His head snapped towards Kiba, "Would you rather her keep coughing until she has to go back to the hospital for the damage she is doing doing to her airways?"

Satisfied that Kiba had been mollified by his response, he refocused upon the Hyuuga heiress, "Hinata, do you trust me?"

She nodded, the blush quite evident to everyone, caused by both his proximity and the tone of his voice.

A kage bunshin appeared out of nothingness beside her and proceeded to take off his shirt, revealing a mesh undershirt, the clone then laid the shirt out on the ground. The look of the muscles underneath the shirt was enough to cause the girls a moment of pause.

Hinata then took the time to lay down on the makeshift mat, as Naruto followed her down into a kneel.

"Relax," he commanded gently, his hands going through the necessary seals before lighting up in a telltale green, the hands roaming over Hinata's chest but not making contact with it, the blond's eyes narrowed in concentration.

"This will take a few minutes," he started, before lowering his hands until they were scant centimeters from making contact with her chest.

Upon the application of the Shōsen jutsu Hinata was flooded with warmth as the energy caressed her body even as it began to work on her, clearing her passageways of inflammation.

Again, Naruto was within her personal space. But instead of feeling nervous she instead felt at ease, the confidence rolling off Naruto acting to soothe her. She just wanted to close her eyes and be at peace. And she might have if not for the question burgeoning in her mind.

"Why all of this," she asked quietly.

"Hm," he responded, attention refocused now upon her.

"Why did you hide all of this?"

"Yeah," Ino piled on, while Sakura wanted to hear this as well but remained silent.

He took the time waiting to answer, the green aura fading from his hands.

"To make it simple and honest? No offense to any of you, but how could I trust you? Hinata aside, even though she's the heiress of a competing clan, none of you have shown me any reason to trust you."

"But I'm your teammate Naruto."

"Teammate," he chuckled, "I think your definition of teammate is flawed Sakura. A teammate doesn't treat another teammate like he doesn't matter. A true teammate doesn't physically strike of verbally abuse another teammate. But then again, Team 7 wasn't exactly meant to be a team, it was meant to be more of Sasuke and company than a team. Because if it were a team, we wouldn't have been left in the dust for all the special treatment Sasuke received."

"But that's not fair to Sasuke," she started, only for Naruto to stand up.

"Not fair to Sasuke? I'm talking about you Sakura. Look at yourself, you have one of the best chakra control capabilities of our class, but your reserves are pitiful. You're underweight for a kunoichi because you are dieting, which is insanity. You are a developing woman in a trade that requires strenuous activity, you need every calorie you can get. But here you are excusing everything as Sasuke needs it more than you. Sakura, I'm saying this as a friend, but you need to grow up."

Sakura recoiled by the bluntness in Naruto's tone. The Naruto she had known would never had said anything so harsh to her.

"Naruto. Didn't you say you loved me?"

"I said only what I thought you needed Sakura. Sasuke treated you so poorly I chose to try and keep you at least looking up. You could be a kunoichi on the level of Tsunade if you applied yourself Sakura. But I guess that faith was misplaced in both you and Kakashi. The only person I can respect is Sasuke, because at least he has some sensible goals, misguided though they may be."

Seemingly dismissing her, he looked back to the rest of the group.

"I already told you why I'm so hated, I'm the container of the Kyuubi. That's why you see me so poorly treated, because most of the village believes that I am the physical incarnation of all that they hate. Now imagine if they discovered that I was much stronger than they intended?"

"They wouldn't have done that," Ino weakly defended, knowing perfectly well the treatment Naruto had received. She only earned Naruto shaking his head.

"They wouldn't even acknowledge my genealogy and surname when it's staring them in the face and that was the kindest thing they ever did to me. I told you what they did to me. Now that they are aware of what and who I am, Konoha will be divided into two camps, those who side with the demon and those who righteously stand against it to save those fallen under its sway. And they are already trying to put me in a cage as we speak."

"Wha-What do you mean Naruto?"

His gaze shifted to where the Hokage Monument was in the distance.

"Right now they are holding an emergency council meeting discussing my fate, either to let me continue, imprison me, convert me into a weapon like jinchurikis of the other hidden villages, or execute me."

"What," Kiba breathed, Akamaru whining in response, "what do you mean execute? You've done nothing wrong!"

"I live. That's enough of a crime for many, Kiba. There are those in this village who would like nothing more than for me to pay for my tenant's crimes against them, but the Sandaime has generally been a shield for me in preventing the more courageous to mete their justice. But there are always those who will succeed in spite of every defense erected. You remember about five years ago, I disappeared for two months?"

"Yeah."

"I was in an ANBU hospital after having both of my legs broken, my skull cracked, all of my fingers broken, sharp force trauma to my lungs and a kidney, and third degree burns over twelve percent of my body among other things. The only reason I'm here today is thanks to my tenant's ability to rapidly heal damage done, but it still took two months to heal all the damage. Think about that for a second, I was eight years old and several genin thought it would get them a quick promotion if they killed the demon."

Silence descended upon it, each trying to come to grasp with the horrors that their peer had seemed to suffer through.

But for Hinata it was like a hammerblow to her own psyche. She was a naturally a gentle person, it was a strength or a flaw depending on who you asked. People should treat others fairly. But what Naruto was saying sparked an anger that seldom surfaced. How dare people want to harm Naruto, he had never done anything to them! If they actually took the time to get to know him they would realize that he wasn't the Kyuubi!

"No," she forced out, echoing her thoughts, looking at Naruto, "I won't let them. We all won't let them."

Naruto felt himself blink unconsciously at Hinata's sudden expression. It was...unexpected to say the least. He hadn't expected such a reaction from her when he decided on doing this. He was a manipulator, yes, but that didn't mean he was heartless.

Yet as he looked at them all nodding in agreement, even a reserved one from Sakura he offered a faint smile. He felt a faint stirring in him that he quickly worked to push aside. It was something he couldn't afford at this juncture.

"Thank you, it really means a lot to hear all of you share that sentiment. But this battle is beyond you guys. I really appreciate it though."

He then paused, head turning slightly as the kage bunshin he had sent to Neji had dispersed.

_Those idiots_, he thought darkly at the news, only for that line of thought to be broken as the kage bunshin that had been attending the council also dispersed. As he sifted through his memories he internally groaned.

_I should have made it abundantly clear that theatricality was not what I wanted. Why did he have to share with the Council the idea of a marriage between myself and Kurotsuchi now of all times?!  
_  
"I have to go," he declared, realizing he was going to need to defuse the situation quickly, "the Hokage demands my presence immediately."

"Naruto."

He paused, turning back to Sakura who had stepped up to him.

"Is it true you quit Team 7?"

"I resigned. Yes."

"Why," she asked plaintively, "why did you do that? You're abandoning us. Kakashi-sensei-"

"Is not following his own wisdom, Sakura. Talk to Kakashi and ask him why. I have to go now."

"Wai-"

But he had already activated the Hiraishin, teleporting him to the Hokage's office using the seal embedded into the office. Coming up from a kneel he looked at the Hokage sitting behind his desk, eyes narrowed in stern contemplation not on Naruto, but past him. This, in turn, caused him to turn and find himself staring into the impassive faces of the elders of Konoha.

"Nice of you to join us, Uzumaki."

"Namikaze," he corrected, "it's Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze, or just Namikaze. You did accept my status as a clan head before dragging me here. And as to joining you, as much as I believe in the Sandaime, he has misplaced his faith in the village. I was merely planning on the contingency that he would be overridden and I would find myself being hunted. Better to have a head start."

This caused Koharu to bristle in response to the fact that he had considered the idea of being a missing-nin. Well, tough, she never had his life. Before she could answer he turned back to Hiruzen, noting that Shikaku and Jiraiya were also present.

"You requested my presence Hokage-sama."

"This idea of marriage with the Tsuchikage's granddaughter. Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why her? Why Iwa?"

He relaxed, so they were at least open to the idea.

"There are several reasons in actuality when I decided on Iwa and Kurotsuchi. First, why the idea of a marriage. The overarching problem is the path of least resistance, Konoha is in a military situation that it has to split most of its forces over multiple fronts with a large amount of distance between them. While Kiri is currently gripped in a civil war, there are Kuno and Iwa. If one of those invade us we have a large bulk of our forces tied up on the wrong front and the time necessary to shift forces would cost us territory. Even worse, in our current military state it will take time to mobilize the forces necessary to launch a counteroffensive. This isn't the Third Shinobi War where we were already at a war footing."

He noted the Hokage's expression twitch slightly, he knew he was laying it on thick on the peace thst they had, but in times of peace they should always be prepared for war, something that Konoha had relaxed on since the third war if the resulting graduation curriculum said anything.

"Because there is no way to offer the idea of a political or peace agreement between ourselves and the target because of the issues of the past, I decided to look at it from a different perspective, what is a way to soothe tensions between the two? With the idea of a strategic interest out of the way, I shifted to political interest, which then ended up with the concept of marriage. Therefore the question became of the two, who would be more open to the option of a political marriage? At first I considered Kumo, but the overall problem was both the strategic and emotional worth of the target, there was no one of female persuasion that the Raikage considers family. The only person that could be a likely target is Yugito Nii, a fellow jinchuri-."

"That's classified information," Homura interrupted with narrowed eyes, "how do you know this?"

He turned to offer a look to the elder, "Process of elimination. The bingo book lists too many achievements and actions for a kunoichi of her age to have logically undertaken without good reason, which lends credence to the idea that she either has a bloodline or is a weapon. Because she is frequently teamed up with Killer Bee, a jinchuriki that we do know, it is therefore evident that she, like Bee, is a jinchuriki that the Raikage is busy training while at the same time providing a sensei knowledgeable in the matters of bijuu control who can also control her if she loses control of her bijuu. This was all suspicion, of course, but thank you for confirming that I am right."

This caused Homura's mouth to snap shut. Satisfied by shutting own the elder, he turned back and continued.

"However, because of the various bloodline incidents in the last decade and the fact that because Yugito is a jinchuriki, it is highly unlikely that Kumo would be interested in the idea of a political marriage as much as positioning their jinchuriki to either liquidate me or set me up to where Kumo can collect me, both of which are, of course, not optimal for the objectives I have set out. Therefore Kumo is out of the question unless we can create a situation in which Kumo may be interested in pursuing such an arrangement through their own initiative. That brings us to Iwa. Again, going through what information is available to me and what I could gleam from overhearing conversations, suffice to say there is only, again, one option available: Kurotsuchi. Honestly, she is of limited utility to Onoki. According to her profile, she's brash, arrogant, and keen to taking risks that would be frowned upon for any leadership position, and, outside of her skill and her kekkai genkei, she's not worth anything too much that would cause Iwa to hesitate bartering her off if it benefited them. But, in spite of all of that, Onoki does treat her like family and dotes on her in spite of her eccentricities, so if we were to approach Onoki with the idea of a political marriage, he would more than likely consider it considering the ramifications."

He then reached into his pocket, causing everyone to freeze before he pulled out a scroll and set it down on the Hokage's desk. Activating the seal, he then opened it up to reveal a map and series of notes scrawled all over it, as well as several other sheaves of paper with more notes and pictures on them.

"Simply put, at the moment, the idea of a political marriage between myself and Kurotsuchi would allow Onoki to start a gradual drawdown of forces on the Konoha-Iwa border and allow him to deal with more internal issues. According to what I can glean, Iwa has spent quite a bit of money financing mercenaries and proxies for many of their operations because of the strain for Iwa in furnishing a massive military, by providing the fence-sitter with a viable alternative, he can at least divert forces to other theaters in which we can likewise divert from there. The added bonus of the Hiraishin, Uzumaki knowledge, and a possible Kekkai Genkei passed down from my mother's side will only cause the bait to be too tempting for him to profit off of."

"Then there is the benefit for us. With Iwa in a state of political alliance with us, we can refocus upon Kumo and other threats that may transpire as a result of this alliance. Furthermore, it places Kumo in a situation to where it may be even more than hesitant to try anything to anger us or Iwa, since they would be cognizant of the threat that two major powers would have if they were to team up if they were displeased. This will stay Kumo's hand in general, they will resort to using costly proxies in much the way Iwa has previously done for their long-range operations. If the situation with Iwa works out, it may make them more open to the idea of a marriage or at least an alliance between us, maybe even using myself as a means of brokering such a deal."

"And what about yourself, Naruto," the Hokage asked, keeping his mask impassive, but he had a good idea that the Hokage was probably aghast at what he was talking about, there were certain things that he knew Jiji disliked, one of those being political marriages, "what is your benefit?"

"Plainly put? It buys me time? Don't get me wrong, this marriage has nothing to do with any type of love or attraction, it has everything to do with survival. By setting up a marriage between myself and Kurotsuchi it places a buffer on anything Iwa would want to do to me because it would cross the Tsuchikage's own plans. Furthermore, the marriage stays the hand of Kumo with the possible threat of Konoha and Iwa retaliating. Is it risky by sharing a bed with an Iwa-nin? More than likely, but if we frame it to where the marriage is not consummated for an amount of time, then we can avoid any situation in which she can stick a kunai into my back. But there is also the possibility, however unlikely, that it may just work out," he added with a final shrug, "in the end, by arranging a political marriage between myself and the Tsuchikage's granddaughter, we may be able to benefit significantly from it."

He then finished, allowing the Hokage and Shikaku look over the body of research he had done on the matter even as Jiraiya watched him with hooded eyes. It had taken several days of his kage bunshin to compile all of this, dispersing to share their knowledge at predetermined times. In all intents and purposes, he had cooked up this entire scheme on in a rush using Jiraiya's notes when he was busy entertaining female company. It was more than likely Jiraiya recognized a lot of the information being supplied here.

"Your thoughts Shikaku?"

The Nara was now looking through the notes while glancing at the map again, noting the troop dispositions and projected movements as s result of the political marriage

"It's extraordinarily well-thought and laid out. I don't see too many flaws in it. The only weak point is that it may be based to heavily on supposition and predictions, but other than it has its merits. I don't think we should be bartering a clan like this, but if it can secure something like what Naruto is speaking of, then it's his choice."

"Homura, Koharu?"

"We shouldn't be offering something like this to Iwa." the woman admonished, "the Hiraishin, the jinchuriki, the seal knowledge-"

"Would be limited," Naruto interrupted as respectfully as possible, though an interruption would hardly be respectful, "I don't intend on providing anything more than the necessary measures required of my position as a fiancé. All of the relevant information that she could have access to would already be security sealed keyed to myself and a only trusted individuals that I authorize."

_And then there is the matter of the Uzumaki Library of Seals I know one of you have_, he thought to himself.

"Still, I do not think we should gamble so much on a child's fantasy."

"Fantasy or not," he retorted, "that does not take away that what I've offered can benefit Konoha significantly if it works out and secure our flank against Iwa aggression in the event of aggression from other sources. ."

Keeping his eyes on the Hokage he watched as the man's eyes narrowed, causing Naruto to stop himself from further saying anything. Was there an external threat that Konoha wasn't aware of going on right now?

"Hokage, while the clan head is showing admirable determination in trying to do his best for Konoha," Homura began, "I don't see how this benefits Konoha. What Namikaze suggests does have its benefits, but it does have its pitfalls. The target may be the Tsuchikage's granddaughter, but I think he's overestimating the worth of her place as a pawn. If anything, I would suggest maybe that we look at Kirigakure's likely new Mizukage or again back at the Nibi Jinchuriki and use them as targets if he is willing to...sell himself for the cause of Konoha."

Naruto bristled, resisting the urge to look back and glare at the old man with all of his might. The man had the gall to call him-

"I agree with the Namikaze head," came the scratchy voice that surprised everyone there, even himself and causing him to look back to the final elder, meeting the closed eyes and impassive, bandage-wrapped face of Danzo Shimura, "the Tsuchikage's granddaughter has a higher probability of success in courting than the other two targets Elder Homura has suggested."

_Well, I'll be. But what is Shimura's angle here? He wouldn't be doing something like this unless he wanted something. Or is this his acknowledgment of my challenge from earlier by giving me tepid support._

The Hokage must have been thinking the same thing, judging by his expression.

"Please, all of you, leave us, I wish to speak with Naruto for a moment."

It took a few moments of silence, even as Naruto kept his attention on the Hokage, a hand landing on his shoulder the only sign of Jiraiya's passing.

And then they were alone, grandfather figure and surrogate grandson, an uneasily silence between them.

It was finally broken with a sigh as the elder Hokage proceeded to retrieve his pipe, pack it, and light it, the smoke wreathing around him as he stared again at Naruto.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"All of this Naruto. Political marriage? Clan Restoration Act? You're doing so much so quickly and making decisions that will have lasting consequences for the rest of your life."

"You're right Jiji," he began, "I am making decisions that will last for quite some time. I honestly don't like it."

"Then why are you doing it, Naruto?"

"Because even if I hate it, I have no choice in the matter. In spite of everything that has been achieved today, all it takes is one incident or event and I will suddenly find everything I have been done has been nullified and I will be placed in chains," he held up a hand to cut off his Hokage, "please, understand Jiji, I know you won't be the one to do that, but because of who I am I will forever have enemies and people who will spit on my shadow and look for ways to harm me. What I am doing is the very same thing I am suggesting to be done to Iwa. I am erecting a barrier in which my enemies cannot harm me without harming Konoha as a whole."

The Hokage took a deep inhale from the pipe turning to look out towards Konoha.

"Are you so jaded to believe that people will not believe in you eventually?"

"I'm not so much jaded, Jiji, as much as pragmatic. Prepare for anything, but hope for the best. I would like nothing more than for people to welcome and treat me like a fellow shinobi or citizen of Konoha, but I have to temper that with the fact that I spent thirteen years of my life being treated like a pariah with only a handful of people I could look to for protection. I would just rather control my destiny instead of having others control mine. These are the first choices I have had the opportunity of actually making, Jiji. I want to prove my worth to Konoha not just as a shinobi but as someone who people can depend on. If it requires me to do things that I should otherwise not have to do in different circumstances, then so be it."

Again, the Hokage fell into silence, causing Naruto to relax himself. It was true that what he was saying, well, in a lot of ways. What he was doing was both for himself and for honoring the sacrifice his family had done for Konoha. But to be honest, this was his home, and even with the warts that came with it, he would defend it to his dying breath.

"You know, your father once said something like that to me before he became Hokage."

He froze, watching as the Hokage turned around now with a warm smile and a gleam to his eyes.

"It was during the Third Shinobi War, after the Battle of Kannabi Bridge. You know it as the battle where he established his title as the Yellow Flash, but for him it was probably one of the worst days of his life. Contrary to what everyone thinks, your father was an incredibly kind man who hated the idea of killing, the thought of killing sickened him because it was such a waste in his estimation. But, he had done it, killing so many Iwa shinobi in that battle using his signature technique. Anyways, it was maybe a few days after the debriefing when he was back in Konoha to mourn the loss of one of his students that your mother, his girlfriend at the time, had approached me in concern. He had not left the apartment after the funeral of his student. According to her he just seemed out of it."

It was heartening to see his father being reminisced upon, something that he had yet to experience. All he had for his father and mother were the diaries his father kept, but even then they weren't a complete picture of the man himself.

"I took the time to visit him at his apartment and he was for lack of better expression deeply disturbed. But it wasn't the actions that were weighing on him, you know what it was Naruro?"

"What," he breathed.

"It was because Konoha was lauding him for all of those Iwa-nin that he butchered. It disturbed him that the village treated him like a hero when all he was doing was his duty. Al he really ever wanted was a quiet life and a happy family, not to have hands covered in the blood of hundreds. But, he sacrificed himself he told me, because it was the right thing to do to protect those who he cherished."

He trailed off for a few moments before continuing.

"I know there are scant few people you trust, let alone cherish Naruto. And maybe one day you will have what Minato has. I think what you are doing is not the correct choice, but if this is what you view as your duty then I won't try and stop you and will do my best to help you."

"Thank you Jiji. I would like to already begin the motions, if your worry about Orochimaru is correct."

"What worry?"

"The idea he's planning something major against Konoha. If it's true then I'd like to send a message to the Tsuchikage immediately. That way if it is true, then the offer is done from a position of equals instead of possible weakness."

_How could we have missed such intelligence_, Hiruzen thought silently, meeting the blue eyes of the newly minted head of the Namikaze and Uzumaki clans. It actually hurt for him the fact that he had been unable to see it himself in spite of everything. He could excuse it to the duties of office distracted him from really paying attention to Naruto, but that was just what it was, an excuse.

"Since you encountered Orochimaru in the Forest of Death, it would only be fair to admit that yes, Jiraiya and I believe that Orochimaru has something planned for the Chunin Exams. That is the reason Jiraiya returned to Konoha."

"Thank you. May I have permission to send a missive immediately so it can arrive at the Tsuchikage before any possible event planned by Orochimaru?"

"If you are sure then Naruto, then go ahead."

"Thank you," a clone appeared beside Naruto, causing the original to look at the copy, "you know what to do."

The clone nodded before disappearing in a flash, leaving the two of them alone again.

"It should only take a day or so to receive a response, Jiji," he stated, responding to the questioning look, "as soon as I decided on this course of action, I had a special clone sent to our border with Kusagakure awaiting a signal from me. It will then move towards Iwagakure immediately to deliver the message."

"When were you going to inform me of this Naruto? You know that could be construed as borderline treason."

Naruto shrugged, "I don't see how it can be treason. I merely positioned assets in order to fulfill the orders you have given me. If nothing had amounted from my suggestion then it would have dispersed in another week and nothing would have taken place."

"That may be, but you should be careful. That attitude can and will get you in trouble Naruto."

Naruto nodded with acceptance at the statement of the Hokage. It was true, he was coming off a bit too arrogant. But it was necessary for his shock and awe approach to running roughshod over everyone in order to achieve his objectives. He could dial it back after this.

Sensing the exchange was coming to a close, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Sandaime Hokage of Konoha, took one more deep inhale of the pipe before standing up.

"Naruto, I'm proud of you for everything you have done so quickly and I hope to see a lot more from you in the future. But for now, I suggest that you don't do anything too flashy for at least a little while. It would be nice for me to have a break from all of this."

Naruto cracked a small smile in response, "I can't promise anything, but I'll try and give you a head's up so you aren't caught too flat-footed by my machinations. But I am a clan head now so some of my issues will be mine alone."

"Of course, but still, just save me a few headaches."

"Of course, Jiji."

This brought a smile on his own face as he stepped past the desk and placed an affirming hand on Naruto's shoulder.

* * *

000

* * *

Sakura found herself back in the arena as the Chunin Exams were about to begin again. Yet as excited as she was about Sasuke's battle with Gaara, she found it tempered by Naruto's admittance that he had left Team 7.

It was still hard to fathom that Naruto would do such a thing. They were a team, despite their idiosyncracies and disagreements. For Naruto to do something so drastic didn't seem like his never say die beliefs.

That is why she was where she was, coming up behind the man who Naruto said had the answers to the questions burgeoning her mind. It wasn't that hard to miss the hair-defying silver hair that was a trademark of her jounin-sensei.

"Kakashi-sensei."

The named sensei of Team Seven looked up to her, having been interrupted from a hushed conversation he had been having Kurenai:

"Sakura?"

"Can we talk?"

He looked at her for a moment before getting up.

"We'll continue in a minute Yuuhi-san."

The ebony-haired genjutsu mistress nodded in response as Kalashi slipped by her and them guided Sakura up the stairs until the came to the top and out of the way.

"What did you need Sakura?"

"Is it true Naruto quit Team 7?"

Kakashi's carefree expression fell, causing her stomach to drop:

"So it's true. He wasn't lying."

"No," Kakashi responded, "Naruto decided to resign in protest of my teaching."

"But why? You've been teaching us enough. Look at us. We made it through the majority of the Chunin Exams."

"Sakura. Naruto was right. I didn't train you right."

The lump in her throat plummeted into her stomach, dragging it even deeper.

"What do you mean, Kakashi-sensei?"

"Sakura. What did I really teach you?"

The answer died on her lips before it was birthed. She didn't have an answer. There were no jutsus, no techniques, all that he had done was tree and water-walking, control techniques that she excelled at. Other than that, there was nothing he taught her and even them.

"But he didn't need to quit," she found herself weakly speaking

"Naruto made his decision Sakura. Honestly, I don't know what I could teach him if he had stayed."

Before she could say anything more the crowd roared, breaking her next thoughts.

"It's okay Sakura. It's not going to be official until after the exams. Just because he's leaving the team doesn't mean he won't be with us. Being a chunin allows him to work with us on missions."

She mutely nodded, Kakashi's words making sense. He then proceeded to guide her back down to the stands, allowing her a seat on the other side of Kurenai. She muted out the hushed and spirited conversation that seemed to recommence at will.

Her eyes travelled up to where the competitor's box was. Naruto was back in thrre, but now he had a massive scroll resting on the small of his back. She wondered exactly what brought on this change and what exactly was inside the scroll.

* * *

000

* * *

"Sasuke."

"Hn," the Uchiha avenger acknowledged Naruto as the blond walked up to him.

"Here," Naruto declared, unrolling a trio of tags and held them out.

"What are those?"

"Chakra disruption seals."

"I don't want them."

Naruto's hand flashed out grabbing his and slapped the seals into it, Sasuke felt a slight twinge in his hand before it disappeared.

"Take them. They're now keyed to your chaka signature and only you can use them. If you want a chance against Gaara, use them."

He humphed, taking the seal tags and slipped them into his pocket. He had no intention of using them, but if Naruto was that serious it'd be better safe than sorry.

"Will Sasuke Uchiha and Sabaku no Gaara come down to the arena."

"Good luck Sasuke."

"Hn," was his only acknowledgement as he walked to the railing and jumped down to the field, walking forward to where Gaara was now situated, Genma Shirunai once again in position to referee.

* * *

000

* * *

_If Kakashi had any common sense he would be working to increase Sasuke's speed and work out tactics to counter that sand shield. The question is if Sasuke has the necessary countermeasures and jutsus to compromise the shield and avoid the inevitable counterattack._

But then again, that was the reason he had given Sasuke those seals. One of the worst enemies of any jinchuriki was weapons or instruments that disrupted or negated their chakra, thereby cutting them off of their bijuu chakra.

The only problem was whether Sasuke could throw his pride away and accept the outside help. That was probably the million ryo question.

Still, it would be better to be safe than sorry. He had a sneaking suspicion that whatever Orochimaru was scheming Gaara was a centerpiece in somr way.

Unconsciously, his hand trailed back to caress the massive scroll on his back.

* * *

000

* * *

"Begin."

Immediately, sand shot out of Gaara's gourd causing Sasuke to reflexively leap back, building distance between the two.

"Don't worry mother, I know you want the blood of the Uzumaki. I will make this quick for us."

He then paused as if waiting for reply before the jinchuriki's face contorted into unadulterated maluce and the sand shot forwards towards Sasuke.

Tomoes spun wildly as they tracked several of the makeshift sand spears that worked to skewer him, only his agility, sharingen, and reaction times keeping him from meeting a grisly end.

He had just enough time to jump up to avoid an outstretched sand claw that crashed down where he had just been. Twirling around, Sasuke retrieved a trio of shurikens throwing them at the seemingly overextended Gaara only for a sand clone to appear and catch them. In response, sand flew out of the tentacle as it retreated in the form of their own shurikens, causing Sasuke to contort his body in a way to where they flew by harmlessly.

Coming down to a stop he shot forward like a cannon, sliding underneath a sweep of sand designed to take his head off. He quickly righted himself before bringing his foot in a sweep toward Gaara's head, causing the previously stationary jinchuriki to go flying into the ground.

But instead of pursuing to continue the attack, Sasuke came to a stop, a smirk plastered on his face as he allowed the sand-nin to get back to his feet, a large crack along the right side of his face where the sand armor has become compromised.

Now back on his feet, Sasuke took the time to charge forward, not even logging the look on Gaara's face as he shifted his body to again avoid a drift of sand designed to grab ahold of him. He then avoided another swipe of the sand before getting close, driving his fist into the stomach of Gaara again as he disappeared into an afterimage as the sand tried to grapple him even as the sand created a bed for Gaara to land upon.

He was simply too fast for Gaara's sand to capture, Kakashi's training paying off in dividends. The only downside to this was the fact that it would wear him down quickly, which was why he was going to have to end this quickly.

Reaching into his pouch, he retrieved a trio of explosive tagged kunai that impacted the ground just out of the range of the sand defenses that he had been able to discern from Gaara's reaction before lowering his center mass and running through the necessary handsigns for his trump card as the tags exploded, shooting up dust and dirt into the air.

_Saru. Tatsu. Ne. Tori. Ushi. Mi. Inu. Tora. Saru._

Placing his right hand to brace his left arm, he lowered his left hand to the ground, getting rewarded with the telltale concentration of chakra to the end of his hand. Lightning gathered itself there now even as a loud cacophany of birds filled the stadium.

This was his moment. This was where he proved to Naruto he didn't need help.

Preparations complete he channeled chalra into his feet to give him the necessary boost because he wasn't at the optimal distance for the necessary velocity. Sprinting forward at top speed he approached the dust cloud, knowing exactly where Gaara would be because of the reluctance of the redhead to move under any circumstances.

Entering the dust cloud his eyes strained as they sought the target he knew was likely where the dust would be dispersing about no-

Eyes widened as he came out of the cloud to the sight of dozens of sand spikes angled right at him. Canceling the jutsu he barrelled out of the way just in time, one of the spikes brushing along his cheek enough to draw blood. Moving far enough away from the killzone of Gaara just in time to watch as the spikes withdrew into the sphere of sand, an eye hovering over it.

* * *

000

* * *

**Naruto.**

_I know_, he responded to his tenant even as his expression hardened.

**If he completes that-**

_I KNOW._

The Kyuubi fell silent even as he face tightened into stern contemplation, hands balling into fists.

He hadn't expected Gaara to descend this far into insanity. To release a bijuu here of all places.

"He doesn't care anything about the plan."

This caused his eyes to drift over to the blond kunoichi that had uttered those words in terror.

_Plan?_

He kept listening to the two, turning back to Gaara as he ran through his options.

A chakra disruption seal was now completely out of the question, especially if the bijuu was fully unleashed. It wasn't rated to disrupt a bijuu, in fact, it would merely be an annoyance for a bijuu than anything of merit.

That meant he was left with only a handful of options if Jiraiya didn't interfere, and the perverted Sannin wasn't anywhere he could see or sense.

The sounds of birds chirping again interrupted any further thought as he looked back to Sasuke as it seemed the Uchiha had decided upon a course of action.

* * *

000

* * *

It had been a quick decision. If Lee's taijutsu and his own could only barely crack the sand armor of Gaara, then it was more than likely that whatever this was would be even tougher. That meant he would have to use the _**Chidori **_in spite of the chakra drain. He had maybe one more use of the jutsu before he was exhausted, but one hit was all that he needed.

Hands going through the seals again, his hand lit up upon the finishing of the motions.

All he had to worry about was the spikes to defend the sphere, but with the Sharingan that should not be too much of a problem.

And so he began again, dashing forward, ground being wrought up by the lightning grinding away at the ground as he closed the range. Immediately, the sphere sprung into action as soon as he closed within the range, spikes angling out. Shifting his body several times to avoid the spikes, he thrust his hand into the sphere, feeling the sand give way as the lightning rendered it into glass dust before he finally made contact with his target.

Everything came to a stop as the spears held there, taking no more action as they were frozen in place.

_Tch, I missed_, Sasuke thought to himself, recognizing where he had hit had been off his intended target of the heart of Gaara.

All further thought was interrupted by the inhuman wail and the sudden feel of the sand shifting within the sphere causing him to panic as he felt something grab at his arm.

Quickly activating the Chidori without seal as he surged lightning chakra into the thing that was grabbing him, pulling with all of his might as he could feel whatever it was that held him start giving away.

It finally gave as he pulled his arm out, but to his stunned shock what came with it was something that looked like a...hand?

It then released his hand, hovering there for a moment before quickly withdrawing like a snake back within to the sphere, his eyes tracking it even as he saw something stir within the hole in the sphere before an eye appear, causing him to stagger back a step as whatever was within roared at him.

And then the sphere collapsed, revealing a greivously wounded Gaara who looked completely different from the impassive visage he always kept, blood seeping from his shoulder as he was gasping for breath, an obvious result of the panic he had been having while in the sphere after taking damage.

* * *

000

* * *

_At least he cancelled it, _Naruto thought with a hint of relief as he watched the arena, his eyes darting back and forth between the lack of inaction below and what was being exchanged by the other Suna shinobi, he had noted that Shikimaru and Shino were likewise now paying attention, having caught on to the stress rolling off the two.

Suddenly every sense began screaming, even Kyuubi became unsettled as he felt a wash of exhaustion role over him.

_Genjutsu._

Immediately he pulsed his chakra dispelling it as his eyes tracked to Shikamaru and Shino. Shino had already worked to dispel the genjutsu upon himself, but Shikamaru...

Reaching over, he placed his hand on the lazy shadow user, pulsing chakra into him and causing his eyes to snap open.

Shikamaru had just finished coming back to when the Kage stand exploded into smoke, causing Naruto's eyes to narrow as everything slid into place.

Orocihimaru wasn't just planning something for the Chunin Exams. He had planned something far more than that.

_He was attacking Konoha_.

* * *

**And there we go. **

**Just an fyi for my readers, I will more than likely taking a small break from writing seriously Faceless, I have to get my other fics up to snuff, had quite a few messages asking where my updates are. So, hope this suffices for you guys.**

**Leave a review and until next time.**


	7. Blood-Stained Invasion

**Trying a few new things thanks to input from a reader. For some of those who may be having a problem with understanding the Japanese in it. I'm busy running a few 'forms' of my writing for better overall productivity. If anyone has some opinion on possible changes, feel free to hit me up. Also, I'm STILL looking for a Beta to kick me in the ass, I would appreciate if one would show, I can be contacted via Skype, just contact me if you are interested.**

**Also, I would like to say I am somewhat disappointed in the ratio of views to reviews, it is somewhat saddening from a pride aspect for a community when the Code Geass community (reviewing Ice and Fire released on the same day as Faceless) actually outreviews the Naruto community 20 to 18, in spite of the harsh differential in readers. Hopefully we can break 100 reviews this chapter, and hope against hope, maybe we break that 120 mark this time.**

Anyways, response time:

**Ero-kun: **My apologies that you spent the time reading 6 chapters of material to post a review. I wish I could refund you your time for your troubles.

**Mundanebeast: **Answer in this chapter.

**Bunnyguest: **Early Merry Christmas? Though Sasuke leaving, well, I'll keep that close to my chest.

* * *

**Chapter 6**

_**Blood-Stained Invasion**_

Blue eyes immediately started scanning the surroundings even as the world erupted into action, the Suna nin already jumping down into the arena as the stands broke into violence.

_Odds are this is the initial preemptive strike, most of the high-level Jounin and skilled Chunin are located in the arena, cripple the counteroffensive personnel and open up the way for the general invasion, which means-_

His eyes closed as the extended his senses, working to prioritize the senses to scan for foreign chakra signatures behind the wall where-

Eyes snapped open in response.

_Suna and unknown chakra signatures, count at least two hundred, summoning underway to support compromising of the walls. Not good._

It was perfect, with the Hokage incapacitated, command and control collapsed, the ensuing chaos would cause Konoha have issues in a coordinated offense until Nara Shikaku could rally a defense.

But there were too few chakra signatures for an invasion. Which didn't make sense unless they weren't invading, it was more of a party for, his breath hitched, darting down to Gaara who was now surrounded by his peers and jounin-sensei.

Smash and burn.

_Shit shit SHIT,_ he cursed, withdrawing his kunai and tossing it directly at Gaara, hand already retrieving a chakra disruption seal as he reached out and tagged the Hiraishin, feeling himself undergo the spaghettification necessary to enter into the Hiraishin before instantly recompiling with his hand outstretched towards the jinchuriki of the Ichibi, only to meet air as the sand trio had darted up into the air, the seal tag fizzling uselessly into the ground.

The Suna jounin that had been with them whirled around to engage him, only for Genma to interfere, allowing him time to swing back.

"Naruto, Sasuke, go and track down Gaara, this is the real thing."

He then pushed the cowled jounin away as they both darted out of the arena, leaving Naruto and Sasuke.

"Sasuke," Naruto started, only for the Uchiha survivor to take off, causing him to sigh. It was typical he would take off without a plan and without recognizing he could help. Not that he was intending to pursue Sasuke and assist with Gaara at first.

Instead, he loosened the tie to retrieve the scroll from his back, setting it vertically upon the ground, reaching up with his right thumb to his mouth and biting hard enough into it to draw blood.

After the encounter with Orochimaru, he had suspected that there was more reason to the Snake Sannin's presence other than shopping for a Sharingan. Why do it in the heart of Konoha when he could have waited until such a point to when Sasuke was vulnerable outside of the walls. Unless Orochimaru was merely doing the pragmatic thing and combining multiple objectives together. He had expected a raid of some kind to draw off attention from Sasuke, not a full-blown invasion though.

Still, he had taken that into consideration luckily when he had gone to work over the month on creating a way to where the fight with Orochimaru would not end the way it had previously. While he could not increase his chakra to sannin levels, in warfare, it wasn't the strongest fighter that won all the time, it was merely the luckiest one who landed that one strike. With that in mind, he had created something better.

Unfurling the scroll as he ran his bloody thumb over the middle of it, he then brought it down to the ground as he began going through the necessary handsigns in order to bring forth one of the few remaining trump cards he had.

* * *

000

* * *

"It seems we underestimated the situation," Kakashi stated with feigned indifference, looking down on the Sound-nin that were arrayed before Guy and himself. Asuma and Kurenai had run off to assist their own charges as soon as the genjutsu had dropped.

He should have suspected that Orochimaru would have tried something like this. It never made any sense why he would risk so much over something so trivial. But ow that there was an invasion going on.

Suddenly a pair of the Sound-nin leaped towards Sakura, intent on striking her down, he found his own body moving to intercept them. However, before he reached them two of the civilians in the crowd moved, suddenly producing balls of pure chakra and driving them into the two shinobi.

His eyes widened predictably as he recognized the very same jutsu his sensei had used time and again. But for civilians, an impossibility for them, to use it, it only meant one thing.

"Oi, Sakura, you shouldn't be standing still in the middle of a battle," one of the civilians stated, looking back at her, before phasing into the all-too-familiar look of his erstwhile student.

"Naruto," the pinkette cried, "but, where-"

He ignored them three more kage bunshin suddenly joining up with the one that had talked as they moved in to engage the surprised Sound shinobi. Guy and Kakashi were flabberghasted for a moment before Guy quickly jumped into the fight while Kakashi looked on.

"Kakashi, Sasuke went chasing after Gaara without support," one of them declared as it came up beside him.

The silver-haired jounin could only nod, figuring that was what Sasuke would do, but it didn't explain why Naruto was standing in the middle of the field with a scroll laid out before him and these Kage Bunshin were in the stands.

"Sakura, Naruto, I'm assigning you an A-ranked mission, track down Sasuke and prevent him from engaging Gaara."

"But Kakashi-sensei, how are we going to track him," Sakura asked.

Instead of answering he merely went through handsigns before bringing them down on the ground.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu **(Summoning Technique)**," he declared , smoking billowing out from the summon before revealing a dog with a Konoha headband secured on its head.

"Pakkun will track him for you. Go now, don't let Sasuke fight Gaara."

Sakura nodded letting the nin-dog lead her away, but the clone of Naruto hadn't moved.

"Boss is going to save the Hokage, but he will be sending someone to help," the clone declared, before dispelling in a puff of smoke.

Kakashi resisted the urge to blink , before his head snapped back to where Naruto was, his chakra suddenly flaring.

* * *

000

* * *

First stage of handsigns complete, he would need to refine the process in the near future, he felt his chakra spike, the initial procedure done.

He then shifted into the second stage of hand signs.

That was one of the problems for what he was trying to do. For an intricately complex jutsu such as this required the exact handsigns and a precise chakra mold in order to bypass and unlock the seals to the scroll. The second series of handsigns were designed for the recompilation of what he had stored inside the scroll.

Finished, he then went through the last set of handsigns necessary to finish the summon.

_I. Inu. Tori. Saru. Hitsuji. _(Boar. Dog. Bird. Monkey. Ram.)

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu," he declared, slamming his hand down on the parchment.

Immediately he was rewarded with an audible pop and smoke. The air quickly clearing to reveal thirteen clones of himself dressed in flak vests and wearing the iconic cloak of the Yondaime. They looked exactly like miniature versions of the Yondaime.

This was his masterpiece, the Kuchiyose: Ichi no Guntai **(Summoning: ****Army of One)**. By combining every facet of his fuinjutsu knowledge, techniques, and seals, he could create thirteen clones of himself that had the same durability, strength, and skills he had minus the Kyuubi's chakra. They would be his gamechanger as he grew older and stronger.

Why thirteen? Well because for some reason he could only create thirteen of these special clones. It had everything to do with the seal capacity that was being pushed by the chakra constructs he had created by using kage bunshin.

"Split into teams of three as planned," he commanded, "Inu team, deal with the summon. Tora team, assist in the evacuation, use the safehouses as necesssary, you'll have Kage Bunshin to support you, exigent circumstances are authorized for them. Tatsu team, I want a full sweep to the breach in the wall. Mi team, secure the Academy and then go and assist Tatsu. If they are Suna attempt to disable if possible, kill on sight any Sound."

"Right boss," they chorused before disappearing into yellow flashes , leaving the thirteenth and final member standing there.

"Thirteen, you are to pursue Sasuke and attempt to prevent him from engaging Sabaku no Gaara. Failing to do so, attempt to disable. If he starts entering his jinchuriki form immediately pulse me and harass with kage bunshin. Under no circumstances are Sakura and Sasuke to be harmed. Follow Sakura, she'll lead you there."

"Understood," the clone replied before leaping off in pursuit of where it could sense the third member of Team 7 and nin-dog.

Taking a deep cleansing breath he then focused up to the towering barrier that dominated the skyline from his perspective. The barrier that he knew contained the Hokage.

He then ran forward, channelling chakra onto his feet as he scaled the wall before goinf into a leap to land onto the roof behind the ANBU squad he recognized as one of the protective details for the Hokage.

"Genin," the muddled white robed ANBU with the Neko mask started.

"My apologies ANBU-san but we don't have time to discuss why I'm here. If you give me a few minutes I can most likely bring down the barrier so you may assist the Hokage.

Whatever else Neko was going to say died on his lips as he stared impassively for a few moments before nodding.

"Do it."

* * *

Iruka Umino grimaced as he felt a kunai dig into his shoulder. His body wanted so hard to give in as he panted, his kunai locked with an attacking Sound-nin even as three more were just finishing up the rest of the Academy instructors. There were six corpses of other Sound shinobi strewn out on the field.

"Iruka-sensei," screamed one of his students, reminding him of why he was putting up such a staunch resistance. As soon as he realized that Konoha was under attack, he had moved his students to the shelter in order to protect them. Unfortunately, their attackers knew about the shelter and it exposed enough for his students to see him try to protect them.

"I'm not going to let you harm my students," he snarled, willing his body to give him everything he had. He may not be able to survive this, but he would be damned if he didn't hold out until reinforcements arrived.

The strength took the Sound nin by surprise, allowing him to push up the kunai and open the man up for his other kunai, driving it right into his throat and leaving the foreign ninja gurgling his own blood as he fell back.

"Sensei, look out."

He had just looked up from his victim to see a flurry of kunais coming towards him, too many for him to counter and evading was out of the question.

His eyes closed awaiting the impending kunais to impale him.

Naruto, I'm sorry.

"Doton: Shōheki." **(Earth Release: Enclosing Wall)**

His eyes snapped open to the new voice and the sound of the ground erupting to find three identical figured before him, suddenly a fourth appearing in a puff of smoke right behind the curved earthen wall.

"Fūton," the three cried after a flurry of handseals, "Daitoppa." **(Wind Release: Great Breakthrough)**

Drawing back a breath in unison and angled to cover all sides of the wall, they then violently exhaled, wind jutsu lashing out as the fourth member exploded.

The resultant explosion and wind jutsu turned the wall into a wall of earth shrapnel that scythed through the Sound nin before they even knew what hit them.

Iruka could only watch in astonishment at the violent remainder of what just happened. Earth shrapnel either cleared or dug into that which could not be cut down. His eyes then traveled down to the backs of the clones quickly noting the kanji for "Yondaime Hokage" his blood chilled at the sight of a ghost before him.

"Y-Y-Yondaime-sama."

One of them turned around while the other two went to the grusly task of finishing off the attackers and collecting tri-pronged kunais laying in the ground.

"Iruka-sensei, let me look at that," the blond stated stepping towards him, hands glowing green as he looked it over.

"Naruto," he asked shocked, "when did you-?"

"It's a long story that will have to wait Iruka-sensei," the blond stated, "the boss sent us to secure you and the Academy students before supporting the counteroffensive."

"You're a clone?"

The blond nodded before his hands stopped glowing, "I stopped the bleeding and restored some functionality to your arm. We'll leave some kage bunshins to protect you until reinforcements arrive."

Upon command six kage bunshins appeared before them, the other two original clones back now.

Before Iruka could say anything more they disappeared in a a flutter of leaves indicative of a Shunshin.

* * *

000

* * *

Naruto frowned as his clone dispersed before the flames completely consumed it, processing the clone's memories and subsequent pain of slamming into the barrier.

_Thought so. It's a weaker variant of the Shisekiyōjin_ **(Four Red Yang Formation)**.

He hadn't seen the Shisekiyōjin before, it was only theoretical, but it had been in his father's notes as something only Kage level shinobi could do in tandem. The chakra drain to maintain it would be astronomical, but he recognized the sentiment of the design.

Leave it to Orochimaru to come with a solution for lower level nin, he thought with a hint of admiration.

He couldn't use any ninjutsu to break it, he didn't have any S-Class jutsus to break it, and even then that was a tossup.

No, he had to approach it from a more eccentric solution.

A laugh broke his concentration, causing his head to snap to it's source: a redheaded Sound kunoichi.

"Hasn't it got to your thick head, shit-for-brains, this barrier can't be broken. Lord Orochimaru is going to skullfuck your decrepit Hokage."

Taking a closer look at the young woman he noted how she had the distinctive hair of the Uzumaki, though it could be an aberration, he quietly noted it away as he looked to the ANBU Captain.

"ANBU-san, catch," he then tossed his kunai, "I suggest you clear off the roof for a minute."

"Hai," came the response from the ANBU, before he and the rest of his ANBU team jumped off, leaving Naruto on the roof along with the barrier as he walked over to the redhead.

"I tell you what," he declared staring at her levelly through the barrier, "I bet I can take down this barrier. If I can do that, then you can pledge your loyalty to me."

"Tch, as if you can do that limp-dick."

Naruto gave a predatory smile as he leaned forward a bit.

"I'll take that as a yes."

He then stepped back and pulled out a blank seal. Producing from another pocket a brush and a small ink container, he ran it through the ink and proceeded to scrawl upon the it.

"Did you know that the explosive note was an Uzumaki creation," he began conversationally as he kept writing the seal down, "the original designer actually intended for it to be a lot different than what it was. You see, before the establishment of the hidden villages there was an Uzumaki who used to attach explosive notes to prisoners of war and then send them back to their homes, unaware of what they carried. When they got there, she would detonate those notes and take out quite a few people in the process. The only problem with the technique was that this member was the only one that knew it and she refused to share it with the rest of the clan.

He then finished and ran his chakra through the seal, before placing it on three more seals, creating perfect copies of it.

"Yeah, what about it," the redhead shot back.

"Well, before she died she spawned the explosive note that you take for granted. Sadly, no one ever had the opportunity to record and recreate the seal. Unfortunately for you," a quartet of kage bunshins appeared as he separated the seals and handed them to each, "I happened to figure out the seal."

He then disappered in a flash as the redheaded kunoichi could only watch as the four clones seemed to grin even wider as they split up to the other corners, leaving a kage bunshin looking straight at her as he held up the seal and applied it directly to his forehead.

"Try not to die," he declared, before the seal began to glow, and then for the Sound-nin, there was only the explosion, the feeling of her feet giving away, and then nothingness.

* * *

000

* * *

"Are you enjoying the view, sensei," Orochimaru hissed in the ear of the man who had trained him, a look of delight on his face at the sight of smoke plumes dotting the direction from where he knew his shinobi were coming from. It as a glorious spectacle made all the more delicious by the fact that he had his sensei have front row seats to watch his village burn.

"Not really, Orochimaru," Hiruzen replied drily, keeping his eyes on the snake sannin instead of the kunai placed at his neck. He knew Orochimaru wouldn't use it against him unless forced to, he would prefer to let him watch and then defeat him with whatever jutsu he had.

"Come now, sensei. Isn't this how you imagined it would end when you let me go free? Konoha burning, your Will of Fire being snuffed out like the pitiful candle it always was."

"And that is where you have always been wrong, Orochimaru. The Will of Fire will continue to survive and thrive as long as there are those who embrace it."

"Well then. I'll make sure that after this there won't be anymore reason for anyone to take that stupid belief."

However before the Sandaime could offer a retort as he felt a quarter of chakra spikes around the barrier.

"Wha-," Orochimaru staryed before the world became nothing more than white noise as the very ground that they stood upon trembled and shook. Hiruzen took the moment to extricate himself from Orochimaru, turning to him a safe distance now.

Only before he could do anything more, the trembling gave way at an audible groan as the very ground they stood upon started to give a way. The very beams that had given the building its structural integrity no longer able to support the load they had been designed to carry.

It took everything for the two of them to avoid being crushed as they escaped the destruction.

* * *

000

* * *

_I can see why no one wanted to pursue Miyako's fuinjutsu_, Naruto thought with a hint of nervousness as he watched the plume of debris and smoke extend to the heavens above.

That was one of the problems with the field implementation of fuinjutsu on the fly. One mess up you could fizzle the seal, or in this case, mess up the chakra to explosive force ratio in the equation and turn what should have neen a directed demolition charge into an earthshaking explosive.

I warned you, the fox commented, causing the blond to internally scowl at him.

However, any further retort died as the ANBU charged forward, intent on helping their Hokage, he himself joining in them as they navigated the dust and debris that now dominated what had been the roof and top floor.

"Hokage-sama," cried Neko, as they came to the Hokage who was in a crouch, his robes in tatters as he was fixated in the direction would be where Orochimaru was most likely was. He then looked at the gathering a moment, eyebroe arching at his presence.

"Naruto?"

"Sorry, Hokage-sama," he replied formally, knowing protocol around ANBU like this, "I overdid the seal matrix."

"Kukuku, you are surprising Naruto-kun," came the admonishing tone of Orochimaru as the dust finished its clearing revealing the Snake sannin, "such wonderful knowledge and jutsus. I can't wait to pick your brain."

"Sorry, but I'll decline," he responded, hand grasping Hiraishin kunai tighter.

"It wasn't an offer," Orochimaru returned, refocusing on the Sarutobi clan leader, "I think it's time for a reunion sensei."

He then clapped his hands together, his face contorting into pure focus.

Kuchiyose: Edo Tensei. **(Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation)**

A trio of coffins erupted up from the ground at his summoning, each with a number upon them. However, as the third raised up with 'Yon' in kanji on it, it froze, and then slid back into the ground. However, it was enough to cause both Hiruzen and Naruto's eyes to widen as they both recognized the jutsu, but it didn't get any better as what were in the coffins as the lids with 'Sho' and 'Ni' on them and fell down to reveal two very familiar forms.

He couldn't help himself stepping back as the two stepped forward from the coffins, it was only a natural reaction for two of the strongest shinobi in history that he knew would soon be under Orochimaru's control. But there was another reason, as he ground his teeth, because he knew now exactly what that third coffin had contained, which meant that Orochimaru had desecrated his father's corpse. Cooling it because he knew running without a clear head would get him killed, he instead focused on other details.

_The question is which controlling seal he's going to use_, he thought even as he started retraining his trepidation. He would honestly prefer to be fighting Gaara right now instead of facing what was to come.

Thankfully though, when they came to a stop they focused on Sarutobi, allowing him more time to prepare.

"Long time no see, Saru," the Shodaime started, his undead eyes narrowed, "you've grown old."

"That's what happens, brother," the Nidaime retorted, taking a look around for a moment, "Edo Tensei, to think my own jutsu would be used on me. It seems the youth these days have no sense of decency."

"I wish we has met again under more pleasant circumstances," the Hokage responded sorrowfully.

"It seems we are here to fight you," Hashirama started, before stopping, his head snapping towards him, eyes widening slightly, "you're a jinchuriki."

He bit his lip but nodded, this was not good, he thought even as he heard the Kyuubi growl. Mokuton was the antithesis of his tenant's chakra, the natural life energy working to mitigate and then negate his demonic chakra.

"Kyuubi, right?"

"That's enough pleasantries," Orochimaru interrupted, not that Naruto was going to respond with that information anyways. The history of Hashirama and Kyuubi were infamous.

_Here it comes_, Naruto thought silently as he summoned up a kage bunshin in a position to view Orochimaru's actions, and more specifically, the tag he would be using.

He watched as Orochimaru stepped forward, a tagged kunai in each hand as he slipped his hand into the back of their heads . Almost immediately, the two Hokage's reacted, life flooding back into their features, however their expressions became vacant.

Nothing else was said as the two charged forward, profile already leveled as Tobirama honed in on Sarutobi.

Hashirama, on the other hand, targeted him. Immediately he stepped back to avoid the sweep of an open palm like a sword, immediately ducking under a roundhouse, only to be rewarded with an open palm strike that sent him flying back. He used the energy of the motion to flip back and land on his feet.

He didn't even have time to wipe away the blood that bubbled past his lips as the Shodaime's right arm turned into wood as it shot towards him. Only a quick kage bunshin off to the right saved him by allowing him to Kawarimi **(Body Replacement)** to safety by replacing himself with it.

Another kage bunshin created the opening of his own counterstrike as they both went through necessary handseals to activate their jutsus.

Fuuton: Daitoppa

Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu

Flame and air combined to enhance another another, turning the flames white-hot as they engulfed the Shodaime.

**Naruto.**

Stopping the jutsu, he took the moment to wipe the now dried blood away from his mouth, a clone appearing with his kunai that he dropped during the initial strike by the Shodaime. The clone then dispersed to allow him access to the events so far.

_He used a complete control tag_, Naruto thought even as he reviewed that ANBU were supporting Jiji against the Nidaime in spite of orders to support him. The battle wasn't exactly going well for them either. The Nidaime's skill in water jutsu and space-time jutsus easily pushing Hiruzen and the ANBU on the defensive.

The control tag on the other hand was troublesome and ruled out killing Orochimaru, even if that were possible. It would place the Edo Tensei constructs in terminal mode on the last orders they had. That meant they had to at least disrupt the control of the caster.

**Naruto!**

_What Kyuubi?!_

However he cut that thought as he realized that the Shodaime they had attacked was finished recomposing himself from detritus, hands going through the tiger and ram seals before clasping together.

The ground rumbling was the only warning he got, but it provided enough for him as he had three clones appear around him, transforming into kunai dug into the ground before he slapped his hands together and then slammed them down on the ground.

"Kekkai: San-ten Shōheki **(Three Point Barrier)**," he commanded, yellow energy snapping into the form of a pyramid around him, just in time as massive tree roots erupted from the roof and began surging upwards into the sky. All around him, the roots and trees tightened around the barrier as it raised up to the ground, the energy the only thing between him and ensnarement. For a moment, he felt faint as the chakra drain nearly exhausted him before his storage seals kicked in, pouring much needed chakra into his network. But it was a close call.

And then it stopped, allowing Naruto to release the barrier, falling towards the ground and impacting upon one of the trees before rolling to a flat surface. He laid there for a moment, soaked in sweat and gasping for breath, before slowly forcing himself to his feet.

**Naruto, you need to use my chakra. That jutsu alone expended almost all of your reserve seals.**

_I know. But using your chakra now in our situation will only leave us vulnerable._**  
**

**Then flee.**

He growled in response, _No. I refuse to leave Jiji! I didn't take down that barrier just for him to die now! If I flee now, I doom everything I have done so far. __I can win this, I just need time to think. _

**Well then, it's too late for that.**

Knowing exactly what the fox was referring to, he spotted the Shodaime phase out of a tree in front of him, standing there for a few moments allowing him the opportunity to take stock.

He was completely outclassed. There was no doubt about it. Even with the Hiraishin, especially the Hiraishin, he just couldn't match up against the Shodaime.

But maybe worse was the fact that the Hiraishin was incomplete. He couldn't use jutsu in conjunction with the Hiraishin without a small delay between them, he couldn't teleport anyone, and he couldn't place a seal down on the target. Even worse, he could not use the tajuu kage bunshin in combination with it, for some reason saturating the area with his chakra served to jam his recognition of the seal. All he had was just a flashy point-to-point teleportation jutsu that offered taijutsu and kenjutsu opportunities, the only problem was his kenjutsu was nonexistent because he hadn't PLANNED on having to work on it for another few months.

_There has to be a way around this_, he railed, _think Naruto. _

**Use my power.**

_But in this forest-_

**You'll get a few moments and there is no one to witness it, nor feel it. The Mokuton will act as a buffer to the chakra leakage. Edo Tensei subjects are merely souls recompiled into a material construct with chakra pathways, correct?**

_Yeah._

**Then use my chakra to disrupt it. I doubt it will kill that Snake bastard, but it will buy you enough time to seal the jutsu.**

He was going to offer an argument to the chakra being stuck in his stomach, but he paused as he considered the implications of what the great Kyuubi no Kitsune was suggesting and smiled.

_Perfect idea, fox._

**Hmph. Just don't get yourself snared. I don't want to be stuck again by that accursed Shodaime.**

_No promises_, he responded, reaching into one of his pockets to receive a pair of chakra storage tags and slapped them to either side of his neck, feeling the dry sting as they tried to introduce chakra that wasn't in them into his network.

_I need you to fill those two tags with your chakra._

**What are you planning?**

_You'll see it when it happens. Now, one tail?_

**One tail.**

This was the part he hated as he could feel his body silently groan as chakra flooded through his already abused pathways. Musculature that hadn't been there suddenly increased in mass as he lowered himself into a four-pount stance, canines growing and whisker birthmarks growing more defined. Foul chakra providing the discomfiture of antipodal flaming hot and ice cold sensation flooding his body and yanking at his mind as pain receptors flared at the agony his body underwent as it continued to change before dulling as that all-too-familiar illogic brought on by the distilled rage demanded he give into his base instincts to destroy.

And then the Shodaime was upon him, mokuton created sword in hand, only the chakra enhanced reaction speed preventing him for losing his head, chakra tail acting as weapon to bat it away as he swiped his claw at Hashirama's face, ripping it off to reveal that it was a wood clone.

_Shit._

He immediately rolled to the side as a wooden spear erupted from the ground where he had been, senses seeking the void in emotion he was positive Edo Tensei left. Eyes darting towards where he detected where the Shodaime was, he took a deep breath, before exhaling a stream of fire, getting rewarded by the Shodai 's move. But it was exactly where he wanted, as he whipped his arm, kunai leading ahead of the black haired man.

Entering into the Hiraishin, he appeared in front of Hashirama, hand whipping up and ripping off a seal tag and slamming it down into the undead Hokage 's chest and then followed him down into the ground, dust shooting up from their impact.

Naruto looked down on the Shodai as his body was spasming mow, flecks of red chakra pouring out of him like embers from a fire. Foreign chakra now ravaging pathways in a self-feeding fire.

He only had a few moments, he thought as he had a clone appear behind him, hands running through the necessary handseals for his next trick.

_Saru. Tatsu. Ushi. Hitsuji. Ne. Tori. Mi. Tora. U. Inu. (_Monkey. Dragon. Ox. Ram. Rat. Bird. Snake. Dog.)

The clone then slammed his hands on his back and agony lanced through his body as he screamed, cuts appearing on his arms and blood being drawn out before dispersing into the chakra. Previously red chakra suddenly turned into ink black seal chains that shot down and pierced into the Shodaime, before they began wrapping around him

Before the target could do anything else the seal ink solidified into a shell.

Gasping for breath, he rolled off the shell and onto the ground, chest rising and falling as he felt the cuts slowly heal themselves up.

"Disperse," he commanded the clone, "someone needs to alert Jiraiya that he needs to get here immediately to help finish the seal."

The clone merely nodded before dispersing, Naruto looking listlessly at the trees above.

Ketsueki Inkushīru no Jutsu **(Blood Ink Seal)**, he thought as he slowly got himself back to his knees, only his willpower preventing himself from mewling like a newborn kitten at the agony wracking his body, had never left him like this. But then again, this had only been the third time he had ever used it.

It has to be the Mokuton, he thought, ever since he used that jutsu, my chakra was being drained away.

"Kukuku, you really are a surprise Naruto-kun," came the slimy voice of Orochimaru as Naruto wearily looked at the snake summoner as he emtered his field of view, "such knowledge and such skill."

**Naruto, that's your last two seals**, Kyuubi warned as Naruto felt chakra flow back into his body, all of his reserves were now gone.

_I know._

"I'm glad you're impressed," he retorted as he forced himself to his feet, hand running down his neck and to his side.

"You truly are just like your father. It's unfortunate for you this is where it all ends."

_I only have one chance._

He then threw a kunai at Orochimaru, the Sannin smiling at the weak throw and the fact that it wasn't a tri-pronged kunai, he merely sidestepped the bladed ninja tool as Naruto took a staggering step back, fear etched on his face. It was all Orochimaru needed to cause him to lick his lips.

A sharp hit to the back suddenly caused his eyes to widen as he felt something slip into his body.

"Kai," Naruto whispered, and Orochimaru's body erupted into blinding pain that robbed him of breath, dropping him to his knees.

Liquid fire was burning through his veins, chakra flaring erratically in response to whatever it was the blond had hit him with, and all he felt was like his body was burning up.

"What-What did you do," he snarled, flopping himself on the ground as his body spasmed.

"You wanted me, well, I gave you a taste of it. That's the Kyuubi's chakra running through your body, burning your chakra pathways to ash. I think it's only fair I pay you back for the Forest of Death," the blond replied as he shuffled forward, hand running over a rest seal to produce a tri- pronged kunai.

A hiss escaped from the Sannin's lips, as he forced himself to his feet. He needed his chakra and he needed it now if he was going to escape this blond spawn of that man. Again he was being denied!

"Kai," he snarled after making the necessary handseals, losing his trump cards in order to buy him enough chakra that was being wasted on control to use a shunshin to escape.

_He will be back_, Kyuubi's voice echoed in his mind, earning a silent nod.

_The man is like a cockroach. But at least we know he will more than likely come for us for what we did once he repairs the damage. If he can repair the damage._

**Hmph. A wounded and cornered animal is a much larger threat than one that is left alone Naruto.**

_Then we'll have to figure out a way to put him down before he gets to us._

Before the Kyuubi could answer, the familiar sensation of a sudden information dump hit him like a two-by-four to the head, causing his eyes to widen.

**Naruto!**

_Oh Kami!_

Summonjng up a kage bunshin he quickly gave it orders to check on the Hokage and provide medical support if necessary before disappearing in a yellow flash, praying he wasn't too late.

* * *

000

* * *

_Earlier..._

Engaging Gaara was probably the dumbest thing he could gave done, Sasuke Uchiha thought errantly befkre quashing it as viciously as a bug, it was unbecoming of an Uchiha to think they were outmatched.

Still, he thought as he leveraged himself to his feet, indentation from where he had been slammed into the tree behind him, he had vastly underestimated the sand shinobi.

The very same nin that was now barrelling towarfs him, monstrous appendages at the bear to crush him.

Hand flexing even as his body groaned in protest at abusing his chakra pathways to create another Chidori.

Only his body was not allowing him the chakra, he realized in a flash of horror as he crossed his arms to defend himself.

"Rasengan!"

The in-flight monster suddenly being hit from the side as a familiar form plowed a blue orb of chakra into it, sending Gaara flying through the forest.

"Sasuke-kun," came a shriek as Sakura landed on the tree beside him, only to be ignored as he stared at the cloaked form of his blond rival.

Said blond then turned and jumped up onto the branch, taking a moment to look him over, before reaching into his pocket and retrieving a tag and holding it out.

"Take it and apply it to your neck, it'll replenish your chakra, just watch out-"

"Ack," Sasuke cried as his body jolted from the sudden rush of chakra pouring into his body.

"For the kick."

"NARUTO UZUMAKI!"

The blood-curdling howl caused the three genin to look into the direction of where Gaara had been shot off.

"We need to work together Sasuke. You still have the chakra disruption tags, right?"

"Hn."

"Give Sakura and myself one. If you get a chance apply it to him. It may be our only chance."

"Why should we follow your orders, Dobe?"

Naruto's teeth clenched as Gaara howled again, whirling around to give Sasuke and Sakura a massive dose of killing intent that caused them both to flinch.

"Because if you had done your damn job in the Exams and applied that tag to Gaara, then the Invasion would have been stopped in its tracks. Now, you want a chance to survive fighting a jinchuriki, then we need to work together NOW. Hopefully Boss will get my chakra pulses before it's too late."

"Before what's too late," Sakura asked.

"Before we have a repeat of the Kyuubi Incident from thirteen years ago," the clone replied, head turning back and eyes narrowing, "the seal on Gaara is weak, if it fails and he fully transforms, then we will have a bijuu right outside Konoha, and we don't have the Yondaime to seal it a newborn and my fuinjutsu is not advanced enough to replicate it. Even if I wanted to, I'm in no mood to sacrifice my life like my father did."

The clone could practically hear the grinding of the teeth from the Uchiha before he finally sighed, "Fine, dobe. What's the plan?"

"One of us needs to place a chakra disruption seal on Gaara, it will cut the links between the bijuu and himself and allow me to place a seal that will restrain the beast within him. If that is not possible, then we try and kill the host. Sakura, you have any kunai or shuriken on you?"

"Yes."

"Good, keep at range and just pummel him if you see an opening. You won't last long against Gaara at any range, but especially close. Just provide a distraction for him. Sasuke, how many of that lightning jutsu can you manage?"

"Three, safely," the Uchiha found himself surprisingly answering back with ease, taking a quick moment to take stock at that development.

"Alright. You're the tip of the spear then, Sasuke. Get that tag on him as soon as you compromise that sand armor with your jutsu."

The loud crash as Gaara returned denied any further discussion as the sand jinchuriki stood there, foaming spittle slathering out of his jowls. Sand was now proceeding to fullly encase him as the transformation neared full completion.

"Yes. YES!" NOW MOTHER CAN HAVE YOUR BLOOD AS WELL! SHE WILL BE SO HAPPY WITH ME!

"Tch," the clone murmured, clenching his teeth tightly, this was likely not going to end well with boss not answering his pulses, "remember the plan."

"Suna shuriken."

Clone appeared by the Naruto clone's side, hands already whirling through handsigns before they both -drew breath at the same time.

Fuuton: Daitoppa

Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu.

The sand spawned shurikens did not stand a chance as flame scorched through them, quickly rendering them into dust before colliding with the arm of the sub-bijuu, a howl being ripped from its lips as the sand on the arm was rendered into glass because it burned so hot.

Sakura had positioned herself by launching her own attack, shuriken flying through the air as they hit into the now exposed jinchuriki. While normally ineffective, they proved devastating as they shattered the sand-turned-glass, a howl sounding from the beast.

"Sasuke," Naruto commanded.

Sasuke blinked at the voice lashing at him, momentarily stunned by what Naruto had just done, but it was all enough hesitation, as all three were suddenly forced to evade as spikes of sand flew at their position, the clone Naruto had being speared by one, and Sakura barely avoiding herself.

"Dammit Sasuke, get your head in the game," Naruto snarled, hand forming the 'ram' seal, before creating dozens of Kage Bunshins that quickly charged towards Gaara, fists already flying as Sakura kept throwing shurikens towards the scrum that had erupted between the clones and the jinchuriki. It was a vicious fight, as the clones kept pummeling the miniature tanuki, only for minimal damage to be done, in each instance the armor hardening to every single strike. Even with his chakra enhanced strikes they were only denting the sand that had hardened to steel.

A swipe of the tail wiped away, causing a couple of them to reflexively back off, giving Gaara enough time to launch his own counter-attack. Clones disappeared in puffs of smoke, as spikes dug into them and sand formed to crush them, unable to use the HIraishin because of the very limitations that cursed him.

Naruto surged forward now, intent on driving a Rasengan into the core of the form, only for the other claw to intercept it, concentrated chakra digging into the claw to no effect. He could only look into the eyes of the mad jinchuriki as it looked at him wiith a wide grin, as the tail came whipping down like an executioner's axe.

Bringing his left arm, he prevented himself from being cleaved in half, but the cost was heavy as the arm was bissected at the elbow joint, causing the clone to grunt loudly, but did not dispel.

"NARUTO," Sakura's voice rang in its ears, only to be drowned out by the sounds of birds chirping, causing him to grimace as he realized Sasuke was finally getting his head out of his ass and getting involved.

A lightning encased fist sliced through the hand that was now holding onto Naruto and directly into the head of the beast. Naruto watched Sasuke's actions, watching as the sand started to fall off the beast, but to his shock, the sand didn't reveal the form of Gaara as he had expected, instead simply becoming nothing but sand.

_A SUNA BUNSHIN! _**(Sand Clone)**

His head snapped around, searching the surroundings now looking for Gaara, realizing that the entire time that his senses were saying something was off, it had been the fact that they had been fighting a sand clone the entire time. He had to be somewhere manipulating the sand to look and act like him.

"Where is he," Sasuke demanded, looking as well.

So focused on finding them, neither had noticed the sand sifting behind them until it was too late, a sand spike being driven through the clone, eyes and mouth open in silent surprise, only to be worsened by the sound of Sakura's scream.

The clone slowly craned his neck, fighting the automatic urge to disperse as he took in the sight of Sakura pinned against the wall, her legs crushed against it as tears trailed down them her eyes mouth open like a fish out of water, then she was falling as Gaara's monstrous arm released her from where she was pinned, her body falling through several branches before being caught by a clone and dropped on the ground, dispersing suddenly as the a kunai lands beside her, the throwing clone also dispersing.

But for Sasuke everything happened in slow motion, Naruto's impalement and Sakura, the Sharingan providing him every moment in perfect haunting clarity. Flesh and bone giving way to intense pressure, crackling and squelching echoing in his ears.

And then Sakura was on the ground, green eyes wide and lost as she stared directly at him, her hand outstretched to him, as she her lips moved but no word came from them. But he didn't need to hear the voice, he could read his name on her lips, even as he could see the blood pumping out of the shattered mess that were her legs.

And then the struggle as she tried to cry his name died, her outstretched hand falling limply to the ground as those emerald green eyes looked at him so plaintively, silently asking him why, before they fell dim and Sakura Haruno stilled.

* * *

**And there we have it for the chapter. A little bit of a cliffhanger no?**

Anyways, I was a bit ahead of schedule in my post, but I felt like I should get a chapter out before I go intoTeacher Observation next week so I don't know if I will get any work done to write for you guys, in addition to necessary updates and the fact that I will be busy comparing the PS4 and Xbox One (Or the Bone, because One is such a pretentious name).

So, yeah, Sakura, dead alive what's going to happen?

Please leave me some reviews guys, its a fuel and it gives me an accurate benchmarker on my work. Also, Beta's hit me up if you are interested in giving me some help.

Until next time everyone.


	8. Might Controls Everything

**And here we are with the next chapter of Faceless. Not a lot to say about this one really. So I'll get straight to the responses:**

**theRedApe: **Yeah, I've read too many fics where the CRA is used as a sex tool. Originally, I hadn't expected to use the CRA but as it developed I realized that would be necessary for Naruto to use the laws of it and abuse it. As for Kakashi-bashing: Honestly, there are some serious issues with Kakashi's teachings and they will be dealt with in two chapters, I won't say much more, but Kakashi needs a serious wakeup to his antics. It's not so much bashing as it is objective criticism.

**Bunnyguest: **Some of your answers will be in this chapter, can't so much more than that.

**Guest Chapter 5 (Nov 22): ** It is unfortunate that you will not allow me the opportunity to offer you a response to your criticism, as well as I am somewhat taken aback at the fact that you may not have taken the opportunity to look at what Naruto is doing instead of just immediately come to the assumption that I am going to make this fic have sex in it. But, I do have to say:

**Thank**** you.**

Because of your critique, I have made some very necessary changes to the story description and even offered a small note for those who may have come to the same conclusion as you have. This is the very reason we have a review process in my estimation and it could not have worked better than what you have done.

**dasross: **We'll have to see.

**noreikitsune: **Right now is what I call the "Shock and Awe" period of Naruto's emergence, to where his enemies underestimate him or do not have the knowledge of his techniques and tactics to accurately develop countermeasures. As time goes on, that Shock and Awe period will become more difficult for Naruto as it becomes public what he is capable of. And believe me, he isn't infallible, it will become obvious in this chapter that he can make mistakes as well and pay the price. He also has difficulties as well.

**I would like to thank both ajpa and Ziactrice for offering to be my betas, I apologize I could not turn to you guys even though you made the offer because of my own intermittent schedule, the fact that you even took the time to offer the opportunity makes me grateful.**

**It is, however, worthy to note that I have now selected a Beta, BrokenAuthor (id 5238035) to beta my works, so credit goes to him in this.**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

_**Might Controls Everything**_

Sakura was gone, that was the only thing echoing in his mind as Sasuke stared at the limp form of his teammate, her empty eyes staring at him hauntingly.

It was just like back then, he thought as his world closed around him, those eyes the only thing in his vision, imprinted upon his memory as the instance that they became empty, tantalizing him as it seemed to repeat in an endless loop.

Sakura, always annoying, always weak, she shouldn't matter to him in his pursuit for vengeance. And yet, despite everything, there was a part of him that cared for both of his teammates as if they were family.

And now she was gone.

**"Mother is displeased,"** Gaara's voice snapped him back to the present, **"she's angry I gave her such weak blood."**

He turned to look at the beast, perched on a branch across from him, a smile if it could be called that plastered on its face.

In response his hands tightened as he could feel the rage building inside of him, the familiar warmth and strength offered by it filling his veins even as a part of him noted how everything seemed impossibly clear and precise.

**"Yes, give mother entertainment."**

"Shut up," he snarled, bracing his left arm, lightning encasing the hand as he shaped the chakra to a finely honed edge.

However, before he could charge a trio of kunai hit the oversized pseudo-tanuki.

**"Wha-"**

And then they exploded, three massive fireballs engulfing Gaara. It was then Sasuke followed the flight path of the kunai back, finding Naruto, frazzled, worn, hair no longer pristine and straight with a look of murder etched into his features beside Sakura.

Immediately twenty clones appeared beside him and the words that exited, laced with such hate and vitriol caused a chill to run down Sasuke's spine.

"I want to hear him scream for his mother."

The clones nodded before leaping off in Gaara's direction.

Naruto then snapped around dropping to his knees, not even caring they were in blood as his hands began glowing green. Sasuke, Recognizing that as the _**Shōsen Jutsu (Mystical Palm Technique)**_ jumped down beside Naruto.

Another trio of clones appeared as one started applying the healing jutsu to the right leg as Naruto focused on the left.

It was a lot worse than he had though, Sasuke realized as he fought to keep his gorge from rising. To say Sakura's legs were mangled would be an understatement, in several places he could see bone and sinew that should not ever be visible jutting out her mangled legs.

"Do-"

"Shut up," Naruto snapped, eyes hardened flecks of ice that didn't even give him attention. No killing intent was necessary as Sasuke could feel those words echo in his very essence.

Satisfied with Sasuke's silence he then looked up to the clone further up Sakura's side.

"Now," he commanded, the second clone going through a quartet of handsigns before his hands generated a greenish-blue glow, the clone then brought his hands down on Sakura's bare chest that Sasuke just noticed her top had been ripped open.

Energy discharged from the hands and immediately Sakura's eyes that had been locked open rolled to a close, a soft moan escaping her lips and the resumption of breathing indicative of the success of the clones ministrations. Reaching into his pocket, he found a small syringe and injected its contents into Sakura before throwing it aside.

"Seal," Naruto snapped , the third clone coming back with a scroll the size of Sakura and laid it down.

"On the count of one, lift," he commanded, the three clones nodding, "one."

They then lifted her while the third clone slipped in the seal paper , Sakura was then placed upon it.

"Dobe-"

"Teme, I'm trying to save Sakura, here" he grit out, sweat rolling off his brow as he retrieved a brush and some ink before starting to apply it to Sakura's body, "she won't make it back to Konoha like this so I have to place her in stasis."

"But tha-"

"Is a modified version of the storage seal. I'm using it because it's the only thing I can think of that can provide a chance that she survives. Now shut up so I can focus unless you want this to fail, because time is of the essence, I only revived and stabilized her enough for this."

Sasuke fell silent as he instead trained his ears to listen to the sound of battle in the distance.

"Done. Sasuke, come here."

"Why?"

"Just do it!"

Compelled to approach he ended up beside Naruto before he knew it finding himself kneeling beside Sakura's body.

"The seal in front of you," Naruto motioned, "I need you to apply your chakra to it as I do so, understood? Just enough for an elemental paper test."

He mutely nodded at the blond, placing his hands on the seal, the blond doing the same.

"Now."

Giving the chakra Naruto indicated, Sasuke watched as the seal his hands were on suddenly expanded, ink becoming like tentacles before they wrapped around her and then dragged Sakura into the paper before she disappeared into a seal. The scroll then furled up at Sasuke's feet.

"Take that scroll back to the hospital now."

"You do it."

"Dammit Sasuke, to hell with your pride and listen to me. In about two minutes, the last of my clones are going to be gone. When that happen, Gaara is going to turn himself over completely to his bijuu because I pissed both of them off. Then it won't be Gaara we're fighting but the Ichibi bijuu, which means a monster the size of a small mountain that, while only a fraction of the power of the Kyuubi, is enough to destroy Konoha. I need you to get out of the datum before that happens and get Sakura medical treatment."

"And what are you going to do?"

Naruro paused turning to look to Konoha before back to where Gaara was.

"I have a trick or two, but you need to clear out now so you don't get caught in the mix."

Sasuke stood there, looking between the scroll and Naruto, conflicted. He wanted to prove himself by beating Gaara, but at the same time he couldn't shake the image of Sakura out of his head. Grinding his teeth he picked up the scroll.

"You owe me, dobe," he got in for pride's sake even though he didn't feel like it.

"We'll talk who owes who after this. Now go, and take my clones."

He turned and ran, leaving Naruto to himself, or so he thought.

"I suggest you heed my words, as well, Temari, I won't guarantee your safety."

No answer was heard, not that he expected it. He sighed, feeling the last clone be destroyed. Summoning another clone, he looked at it, knowing his message would get through.

"I need a bijuu seal team."

He then stabbed the one, watching it dispel into a puff of smoke.

Now everything was left in the hands of his clones, he had to focus now.

Jumping up the branches until he reached the top of a tree, looking into the distance as he could feel Gaara's chakra flare and foul as the bijuu took over control. Chakra rolling off in sheets as he was buffeted with unfiltered killing intent that could only be the creation of a bijuu.

He looked on, biting his lip hard enough to make it bleed in order to focus his mind in the face of what was appearing in front of him. Sand rising from ground level, compiling and building the monstrosity that he knew dwelled within Gaara.

**Naruto, you realize if you are doing what I think you are doing then the village will feel it.**

I know, he replied with resignation lacing his answer, it can't be avoided. I wonder if Kami just enjoys playing roulette with my life.

Naruto sighed, his eyes sliding shut as Shukaku finished his transportation, now a towering mountain of sand and hate, his exultations of freedom readily ignored.

**Let's do this Kyuubi.**

* * *

000

* * *

Hiruzen Sarutobi had come to the conclusion during his fight with the Nidaime that he was too damn old for this job. That one fight had pretty much exhausted everything he had just to defeat his former sensei.

Yet at the same, the fight brought him hope for the next generation, he realized as the Nidaime had simply vanished to his surprise. It was only through the clone that Naruto had sent did he get a rundown on what had happened.

Proud would be one word to describe what he felt for Naruto at the fact that he had not only fought the Shodaime and survive, but also drive off his student in the process. It just seemed Naruto was an unending supply of surprises today.

Including the numerous sightings of what seemed to be an army of Yondaime Hokages fighting to protect civilians and support the counteroffensive.

But he wasn't the only one that was surprising though. All around Konoha he was getting reports of individual actions of shinobi performing admirably in pushing back their attackers.

And yet, he could only watch as these valiant men and women fought and died to protect their village, both the ANBU Commander and Shikaku had forbade him from fighting after seeing how he was so worn out.

Shikaku, on the other hand, seemed to take the sighting of the Yondaime in stride, a knowing smirk cast towards him every once in awhile as a report of the Yondaime seemingly appearing out of nowhere to assist the forces before disappearing again.

"It would seem Konoha has been blessed with a vengeful specter here to protect his people, Hokage-sama," he finally noted in a brief moment in between reports.

"Or maybe it's a young man trying to prove himself."

"Maybe so. But it will be troublesome for us to explain this all to everyone. I would have preffered the young man be a bit less blatant in his showmanship."

The Hokage nodded sagely, his attention refocused on the reports coming in. Naruto would have to come later, Konoha was first.

The only warning something was amiss was when the hairs on the back of his neck raised. Then it barreled into him like an Akimichi charging an all-you-can-eat buffet, killing intent and chakra that caused him to freeze momentarily?

_The Kyuubi? No, the chakra's different but no less malevolent. It has to be the Ichibi._

His head turned in the distance to where he could see an oddly colored hill on the horizon that should not be there.

_A full transformation! We need to get Jiraiya._

Before the command could escape his lips, a new chakra, thick, cloying, and angry hammered them. This time, however, Hiruzen recognized it, even thirteen years later he could not forget such chakra and foul killing intent.

_Kyuubi._

* * *

000

* * *

_One tail_, Naruto thought, feeling his body undergo that painful change once again. If anything, his body protested it even more, going through the same abuse twice.

But he knew it was going to get much worse.

* * *

000

* * *

For Sasuke as he was the closest to the epicenter of sheer chakra it was suffocating, the only solace from the storm coming from the fact that with each leap away from the source the struggle to resist grew a bit easier. As a result, it was too easy to rationalize not getting involved in the fight taking place behind, though his pride made it grate on his nerves.

The fact that the dobe, no, as much as it grated on his nerves to admit it Naruto had surpassed him, was just a lot more stronger than him. Maddeningly so. How could he have hidden all of this with no one the wiser?

Why was he so damn weak?

His hand tightened around the scroll in his hands, a reminder of his failure to kill Gaara before it had happened. He was supposed to an avenger, the strongest, and yet this had happened. Sakura was hanging on by a thread, being transported in a scroll that he was almost positive Naruto, in all of his confidence, wasn't exactly sure would work.

It was all the more salt to the open wound that was his pride that he was tasked with this and the fact that he was dependent upon someone he had thought of as scum previously.

If Naruto survived this, which he wouldn't be shocked if he did, the question now became what was Naruto to him?

Could he use him?

Another burst of raw chakra interrupted those thoughts and caused him to move faster as it once again became stifling.

* * *

000

* * *

_There's three_, Naruto gritted his teeth grinding and reforming at the same time as his body was now screaming at the torture it was going through. The first tail a mere memory now in the pantheon of pain that was his transformation. He hadn't gone any further than this before because he had passed out when he had tried, but now he had no choice. If he was going to buy enough time for his clones to get into position for what was needed, he had to go four tails.

But, Kami, the pain. He could feel every pulse of the chakra exiting his pores, every twitch as his musculature changed in density and strengthened, his senses extending even further and becoming more full to where his head hurt at all the new stimuli.

And he wasn't done yet.

He screamed as he forced his body past the very barriers that it had put up, his wail of agony enough to catch the attention of the Ichibi.

* * *

000

* * *

_Naruto-kun_, was the only thought that dominated Hinata's mind as she suddenly felt the wash of chakra. She didn't know why she had immediately thought of Naruto, but she knew that whatever was going on right now, it had to do with him.

"Hinata."

Her concern suddenly sidetracked, she found herself looking into pale, pupiless eyes of her cousin.

This had probably been the second largest shock other than the invasion, as Kiba had taken her to the Hyuga compound because it was the safest place for her at the moment. However, they had been set upon by Oto-nin, Kiba and herself even with Naruto's treatment, had found themselves on the defensive the entire time. Kiba had been knocked out and they had turned to her when Neji had shown up, dispatching her attackers and rescuing them both.

"No one shall lay a hand upon Lady Hinata," he had declared over their bodies.

Those words that had escaped his mouth after the fight had been words she had been stunned by. It was something she had yearned for so long, acknowledgment by her cousin and now she didn't know how to take it. The concept of Neji showing concern for her was so foreign of an inkling, and yet she knew it was both sincere and that Naruto had something to do with you, Naruto-kun."I'm fine," she responded, just as another blast of chakra caused her to shiver.

* * *

000

* * *

**"FOUR,"** Naruto snarled, plowing through the intense agony of his transformation as it seemed like it could not get any worse, his skin peeled away and fed the chakra cloak like fuel to a fire. It took everything in his being not to let himself be consumed by the rage that he could literally taste upon his now nonexistent tongue, only an open maw the indicator that he had a mouth.

**"SO THE HUMANS GOT YOU TOO KURAMA?! HAHAHAHAHA!"**

Sand fell off the Ichibi as it laughed the Kyuubi roaring in Naruto's head. It was obvious that what the sand bijuu had said had hit a nerve.

_Kurama_, Naruto asked with a mental raised eyebrow.

**If you don't want me taking you over right now to crush that oversized Tanuki for his impudence, I suggest you deal with him now Naruto.**

He nodded in response, the pain fading to nothingness as he coiled around the tree.

**"I GET OUT OF MY CAGE AND I GET TO CRUSH THAT STUPID FOX! THIS IS THE BEST DAY SINCE FATHER TOLD ME I WAS A GOOD SON!"**

The roar grew louder in Naruto's head, causing him to wince.

Now white eyes narrowed as he sprung into action, leaping from treetop to treetop. All of what he was doing was theoretical from discussions with Kyuubi as to what he could and could not do. Unfortunately, he did not have access to many of his jutsus because of the interference caused by the cloak, what he lost in jutsu he made up in raw power and other abilities related to his tenant.

In this case, he drew back breath and blew fire straight into the face of the Ichibi, causing it to recoil with a roar as parts of its face was turned to glass.

But he was already on the move, to stand still when your opponent towered over you and could squash you like a bug was stupidity itself. Jumping tree to tree, he was already planning his next set of moves, concentrating chakra in his belly as the Kyuubi instructed.

He had just enough time to veer out of the way as the Ichibi's club like tail slammed down where he just would have been.

"HOLD STILL YOU LITTLE GNAT!"

Yeah, like I'm going to do that, Naruto thought to himself as he lowered himself down to the ground, using the foliage as a shield to the enemy's vision.

Again he veered out of the way, this time as several of what can only be described as sand spires shot out of the ground, he then jumped higher up a tree in front of him.

The burning sensation finally reached a critical point in his gut as he began clambering up a tree and as soon as he reached the top of it, he opened his mouth, a brilliant red lance of chakra that cleaved through the legs of the sand bijuu, causing it to fall flat to the ground.

However, the success was short-lived as the limbs reconnected with ease.

**_"Fuuton: Renkūdan." (Wind Release: Drilling Air Bullets)_**

And like that, he was completely on the defensive, compressed air bullets exploding everywhere around him as he worked to evade them. One lucky round, landed right beside him and only the lucky use of a chakra hand prevented him from being blown away. Using the hand as a slingshot, he then went into the air, hand outstretched as a ball of red energy appeared in his hands, followed by several dozen of him appearing in flight with him in the same manner.

_**"Rasengan Shōgeki." (Spiralling Sphere Bombardment)**_

Explosions wreathed the side of Ichibi, driving it off balance, providing Naruto enough breathing space, manteling up the side of the Ichibi on his way to the head, intent on disrupting the connectuon by striking the source.

Unfortunately those plans went awry as he suddenly found himself without sound footing as the giant sand beast simply lost cohesion, dropping him to the forest floor below.

_'What'_, his head started snapping left and right, _'what just happened'._

He then found himself leaping up as a gigantic sand maw appeared beneath him, nearly snapping shut with him inside it. The only problem was that his leap landed him right into the sandy grips of Shukaku as he suddenly found himself enveloped up to his neck and unable to move.

It was then that the Ichibi reformed itself, raising him up higher into the air where he had no cover and nowhere to go.

**"I FINALLY GOT YOU! NOT SO NIMBLE NOW ARE YOU?!"**

He felt the sand tighten around him, drawing a roar of pain that only seemed to delight the mad bijuu even more.

**"I'M GOING TO ENJOY THIS!"**

And them the sand enveloped and started squeezing, already robbing him of breath as his world enclosed, leaving him not even the room to generate the chakra necessary to break out...for four tails.

_No_, he panicked, feeling that animalistic bloodlust, that will to survive bubbling to the forefront of his mind even as he pumped as much chakra as he could manage into keeping the same from crushing him. If he went into five tails there was no way he would be able to control himself and once he went berserk...it was over. Konoha would never be able to let him live.

There had to be something, anything to get him out.

**Naruto, give me control now.**

_No._

He could feel his control slipping as the Kyuubi's voice boomed, **DAMN YOU NARUTO I REFUSE TO LOSE TO THIS-**

And then the sand suddenly gave way and he found himself plummeting towards the ground, only his quick reflexes allowed him to recover, his fall broken by grabbing onto a damaged tree and curling around it. He then turned to be greeted by the sight of a giant toad with a pair of swords on its back on top of the Ichibi. Another toad with a tanto right beside it, the tanto impaled into the beast.

_Toads, then that means..._

A slight rustle gave him all the warning he needed as he narrowly avoided the lit outstretched hand of Jiraiya aimed at his chest.

**"Jiraiya,"** he rumbled, stunning the man, **"knock it off."**

"Naruto?"

He offered a nod as confirmation.

"But how? No influence of the Kyuubi?"

**"I'll explain later. We need to take down Gaara first."**

"I'll hold you to it. What's the plan?"

**"Clones are making a seal to deal with the Ichibi, we just need to hold him here a short time more. When I say it, clear out of the area immediately."**

"Right," the white-maned toad sage then moved back to on top of the red tanto wielding toad.

**"Jiraiya,"** it boomed, **"you mind telling me why I'm here fighting Shukaku and why you are letting the Kyuubi run free?"**

"I'll explain later, Gamabunta. I need you and Gamahiro's help keeping the Ichibi from getting any closer to Konoha."

**"The trouble you always seem to be in...you owe me Jiraiya."**

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

The Ichibi disappeared into the ground again, Gamahiro finding himself on his rump.

**"Watch it,"** Naruto warned, this time extending his hearing, catching the sound of the sand moving along the ground.

Jiraiya must been thinking the same thing as he followed Naruto's head to spot the Ichibi as it reconstituted itself, his hands already going through the necessary handsigns as the Ichibi rose up out of the ground.

_**"Doton: Yomi Numa." (Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld)**_

The ground underneath the bijuu suddenly liquefied, the enormous bulk and gravity doing the rest, miring the tanuki in the muck.

"Gamabunta!"

"Right."

Pressurized oil shot out of the mouth of the toad as Jiraiya once again went through another set of hand seals,

_**"Katon: Gamayu Endan (Fire Release: Toad Oil Flame Bullet),"**_ he loudly declared before shooting flames into the oil stream lighting it aflame.

The Ichibi was left devastated, the oil that had already drenched it, was too easily absorbed by the giant sand and chakra construct, turning it into a towering inferno as it actually screamed from the damage.

Naruto was not inactive at the same time, creating three more clones and generating four chakra lances that perforated the stomach area, a small secondary explosion ensued, confirming his theory, as the air trapped in the beasts gut superheated and expanded, wrecking the midsection.

And there the Ichibi was, getting hammered on all sides by Naruto, Jiraiya and Gamabunta, and even Gamahiro got in a strike, denying the Ichibi an opportunity to try and stablize itself and escape.

Clones disappearing, Naruto was then struck by the memories of another clone alerting him that preparations were complete.

"It's ready. Cease the swamp."

He didn't even await a response, already leaping towards the Ichibi and mantling up it as it no longer was restrained by the swamp. He then reached the back of the Ichibi.

He hadn't ever tried this while in his Kyuubi cloak, but it had to be tried.

_Owl. Rat. Dragon. Dog. Snake. Ram._

He then clapped his hands together. Focusing the chakra necessary to be the keystone for the jutsu.

_**"Nikushoku Chēn." (Carnivorous Chains)**_

At first nothing happened, for a moment Naruto worried that his usage of the cloak disrupted the fuinjutsu. But then the pause was rewarded as dozens of black and gold chains shot out if the earth, easily piercing through the Ichibi's tough hide as other chains coiled around it. A small sigh of relief escaped Naruto in the form of a low growl as he felt his Kyuubi cloak being drained away, letting him know that it was working as intended.

To see the fuinjutsu succeed was a bittersweet experience for Naruto as the Ichibi slowly decreased in size, no longer able to sustain itself due to its chakra being suppressed and absorbed into the ground that the chains had spawned from. The seal had actually been an incomplete work left by his father with his death. The knowledge that Kushina was the container of the Kyuubi had caused him to become invested in creating a countermeasure to safely suppress the Bijuu if it became unstable and to spare the container. As a result, the Nikushoku Chēn were based upon the theory behind Kushina's chakra chains. While they could not be perfectly replicated, they could be mimicked.

Like his father, he had been stymied by the seal. He had solved several of the issues with the generation of the chains, but he hadn't been satisfied with the performance of the chains in the few times he had manifested them, there was just something missing. It had been Jiraiya's input that had solved many of the difficulties he had by the creation of a keystone that could place the seal on the target, allowing the chains to pursue within the field of effect. It wasn't complete, not even close, Naruto considered it a prototype, but for what it was supposed to do now, it was sufficient.

He let out a soft groan as the last of the Kyuubi's chakra was absorbed by the chains, the Ichibi now gone, replaced by Gaara who was struggling to his feet. It was even worse for him, he had been warned on the dangers of using a fourth tail of chakra, and he wasn't disappointed at the world of pain he was experiencing as he struggled to keep himself on his feet.

The redhead finally was up to his hands and knees, for the first time fear etched on his face as he tried to crawl backwards at his advance.

"Stay away," he shouted frightfully, forcing himself to his feet.

He paused, looking into the blue-green eyes of his opponent for a few moments before sighing and shaking his head. He knew that Gaara was just like himself, a mess, a tortured soul, yet where he found the strength, it was obvious that Gaara had never found that opportunity. They were the same and yet they weren't.

"Might controls everything," he murmured, his eyes hardening as he staggered forward, his body screaming at the exertion, "but might without purpose is worthless."

"W-What?"

He shook his head, trying to clear his head even though the motion caused his skin to scream, the irritation having grown from a dull ache to an almighty roar.

"You and I are alike. We both have lived in darkness," he finally said, "we both yearned for attention when there was none. We were the pariahs of our village Gaara. But, in spite of everything, I found people that both believed in me and that I could believe in. But maybe more importantly, I found a purpose, in spite of everything, I will protect what I believe is right, not for myself, but for those who believe in me."

Gaara didn't say anything, obviously considering what he had just said. It was all he could to plant the seed, there was nothing else he could do as Temari and Kankuro were up in the trees about to descend.

"Gaara," he intoned, "just remember, when you find something precious: Might controls everything - and without strength, you cannot protect anything, let alone yourself."

He then turned, knowing that it was over as Temari and Kankuro landed beside Gaara, their expressions one of worry.

"You may not think it, but there are people who think of you as precious, Gaara."

Hobbling away, he caught wind of them leaving now as he relaxed, finally giving into his body's protests as he struggled along, not even paying attention to his surroundings anymore.

He was nearly out of chakra, his body had first-degree burns all over it, and the Kyuubi was so engrossed in managing the more critical damage that the nicks and cuts all over his body that were being ignored added to his misery.

"Interesting words there, gaki," Jiraiya's voice filtered into his pain-addled brain as he turned to find the gama-sennin leaning against the tree, "can't necessarily say I agree with you, but I can understand the sentiment."

"That's good," he mumbled, suddenly feeling so light, the ground coming up to him slowly, "it's good words to l-"

Then it went dark.

* * *

**So the Chunin Exam Arc ends with some serious events that will have some serious ramifications in the near future for everyone. But you will have to wait a few chapters for those, because we will be having a change in the scenery to one of a more rocky kind if you get my drift.**

**And yes, before you guys start lambasting me, I did take one of Vergil's most powerful quotes from Devil may Cry 3 for Naruto's statement to Gaara. Please don't groan at it, because it is probably one of those statements that actually describes Naruto's mentality up until now. He's obsessed with making himself stronger so he can protect himself and those who believe in him.**

**Furthermore, I will be posting a small jutsu codex in the next chapter so you guys can get an idea of what Naruto has used in the last two chapters.**

**Anyways, I will be taking a brief hiatus to update The Illusive Emperor under the joint account of Nicolai Alvin Hubert and be working off and on for the next chapter of Ice and Fire. I project that I should have a new chapter of Faceless by mid December or so. Maybe sooner, just depends on how I feel and how much time I have.**


	9. Hiraishin Diplomacy

**Decided to pump out this chapter a lot sooner than I expected as a going away present for FF8cerberus since they will not be able to read this for a few moments. So toss 'em a few thank yous. Anyways, responses**

**Lord Naryk**: You're actually ahead of the curve here, but yeah, there's a bit more to Sakura's injuries that will be discussed in the next chapter though. Call it a catalyst moment for a lot of people.

**llawssalg: **I can respect you for attempting to leave a review even if your primary language is not English, but it's really hard on me to try and read that entire block of text and I have chastised BrokenAuthor for the same thing. But to break down your argument.

You are talking about a full powered bijuu vs a jinchuriki operating at a percentage of the total power of his bijuu without access to any of the bijuu's overall powers. Honestly, Naruto should not have really won outside of killing Gaara to break up the bijuu, something he did not want to do because of the fact that it would not stop the Ichibi in the long run.

And the rest of it I'm going to ignore because it is simply abject vitriol and opinion with no constructive criticism or debate points other than you hate this or that. My apologies you don't like that, but you can't cater to everyone.

**Amusebeard: **Yeah, I kinda had to do an asspull no jutsu for that, but it was the only thing I could think of to start it up. You won't hopefully see anymore asspulls.

**A W (Guest): **Honestly, I feel like Hinata's like for Naruto is open to interpretation. Yes she uses him as a psychological crutch, but I feel she feeds off Naruto's never say die attitude. The fact that he never refuses to give up and is kind is what attracts her to him. The only real differential between this Naruto and her pedastal Naruto is really that he's less loud and cheerful. He is still kind and he will be a large crutch for her to stand on, but he will also be there to help her in the future. It's not that Naruto's gone, it's just that he's a lot more restrained.

And secondly, that is a problem. but it can't be helped, sooner or later he would have a target on his back whether he wants it or not. The problem is Naruto gamed his chances ar beating Neji as "idiot Naruto" with Ebisu as his trainer and the resulting numbers were so poor that he made an emotional snap decision because he was pissed at Kakashi for once again proving what a poor teacher he is.

Besides, the fame thing will be discussed more im depth in future chapters. Naruto's not exacrtly flat-footed in that regard.

**Anyways, that done, on to the chapter.**

* * *

000

* * *

**Chapter 8**

_**Hiraishin Diplomacy**_

For the Sandaime Tsuchikage, the Honorable Ōnoki of Both Scales, the day had gone altogether quite well, which all but guaranteed that there would be something bad to ruin it.

It couldn't be the thrice-damned paperwork, that was an always common thing for him, though today was a bit busier than usual.

Where was Kurotsuchi's team again? That's right, back in Iwa relaxing, so it couldn't be that.

Maybe his hip was going to act up again?

He harrumphed, placing away the last piece of paperwork in its basket as he got up from his seat, grimacing at his aching bones protesting in pops and cracks.

He was getting way too old for this. But unfortunately for Iwa, there was no heir apparent available to replace him. Kitsuchi, like his mother was too abrasive to be a leader, an unfortunate trait passed to his daughter as well, though he did have some hope for her.

Still, hope wasn't something he should invest in, especially if a power vacuum ensued with his death and most definitely not while he was capable of doing his job. However, for Iwa's sake he would need to exert more effort much like his sensei had done to find a replacement. It was only prudent.

How do those damn tree-huggers do it, he wondered, how do they always seem to have a Hokage lined up in spite of everything?

Though, that wasn't exactly the truth now that he thought about it, considering the Old Monkey was the Hokage again. The death of the Yondaime thirteen years ago in the Kyuubi attack had been an unfortunate occurence, the Yondaime had been an honorable enemy who then became the only leader to reach out to Iwa after his ascension in trying to lessen the tensions between the two hidden villages. Admirable, considering his name was one the children were scared to sleep with in Iwa.

He hadn't been interested in it himself, it was a young fool's errand, and with the Yondaime's death that avenue promptly closed.

Still, it was one of those what if's that caused him to think from time to time. He may be called the Fence-Sitter because he rarely got Iwa involved in anything, but even he recognized now the advantages of what the Yondaime offered.

A knock on the door ripped him from his thoughts as it opened to reveal Hitsuchi, her face seemingly even more serious than it could be. She also seemed oddly pale, as if She had seen a ghost.

_Here it is._

"What is it Hitsuchi," he demanded as the door closed behind his secretary.

Hitsuchi, oddly said nothing as she walked up to the desk and placed a scroll down on the desk, the seal on the scroll placed so as to be visible to him.

A jolt of shock shot through him as he recognized the seal, a clan seal he had not seen in over thirteen years.

It was a simple yet elegant seal, a blue circle with three golden tri-point kunai at the two, six, and ten o'clock positions with the tips aimed inward to a center to where there was a small space between them all.

It just so happened to also be the seal for the at-that-time newly-minted Namikaze clan.

_Impossible_, he thought staring at the seal, _that man is dead!_

"The messenger," he demanded, "where is he?"

"We tried to apprehend him but he disappeared in a yellow flash when we tried to apprehend him, leaving this."

_No.__ It couldn't be._

"Leave me," he commanded, looking at the scroll.

Did they find someone of relation to the Yondaime? But why would they be contacting him?

He reached to the scroll and proceeded to break the seal. That completed, he unfurled it and started reading it.

**"To The Lord Sandaime Tsuchikage, The Honorable Ōnoki of Both Scales"**

"I extend to you my greetings in what I hope is the first of many exchanges between the two of us."

**"Allow me the opportunity to introduce myself, I am Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze, the son of the Yondaime Hokage, Minato Namikaze, and Kushina Uzumaki."  
**  
_So the Yondaime had a child with an Uzumaki, a union like that does not bode well_, he thought as he continued reading.

**"As the officially recognized head of the Namikaze Clan, I understand that relations between my clan and the whole of Iwagakure are that of outright hostility. My father's actions during the Third Shinobi War has left bad blood between my clan and many of the family and friends of those slain by his hand. Yet it is because of those very exigencies of war that I write to you now. We both are aware that war forces everyone involved to do things that we would normally never do, but are forced to do out of duty to kin and village. I, like my father, offer my sincerest regrets for those horrible but necessary actions."  
**  
_Kid's good with his words_, he thought, _just how old is he?_

**"It is why I, like my father before me, write to you now in the hopes that therein lies the possibility to mend the divide between my clan and village with yours. But it is not the only reason that I write to you now. What I write to you for, is to offer a proposition between our fellow clans, a proposition hopefully of mutual benefit to the both of us, My Lord."  
**  
_There's nothing you have that you could offer me boy.  
_  
**"That is why I write you to ask for your granddaughter's, Kurotsuchi of Iwagakure's, hand in a marriage of state."  
**  
He couldn't help it as he read over those words, he froze, unbelieving of what he was reading. Reading it again, he then made the ram seal and sent out a pulse of chakra believing it was a cleverly laid genjutsu, only to find that those words remained.

_Political marriage between my granddaughter and this...child?  
_  
**"I can understand your confusion right now at my proposal, it's something that hasn't been practiced since before the formation of the hidden villages. In fact, the last major clan marriage of note was between Hashirama Senju and Mito Uzumaki. While I do not claim that a union between your granddaughter and myself will compare to the union that assisted in the creation of the hidden village system, I can offer that such a union be beneficial for all parties involved, villages included."**

_I doubt that._

**"However, I am aware that what I have said and what I offer should be taken with a grain of salt. No sane leader would take the word of an enemy clan at face value. that is why I have placed on the back of this scroll a storage seal matrix containing a Kage Bunshin of myself."**

He froze for a moment before quickly whipping the scroll over to find the mentioned seal. Flipping it back over he continued reading:

**"-complete with my knowledge up until the second round of the Chunin Exam finals. He has been tasked with answering your questions to the best of its ability and level of clearance. I hope you will use this tool in making your decision.**

**I await your response, Lord Tsuchikage."**

**Lord Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze**

He then placed the scroll down on his desk, staring at it some more and wondering if this was all a dream...or a horrible nightmare.

It had to be a horrible nightmare he thought, looking up at the ceiling of his office wondering exactly what he had done recently to incur Kami's attention like this. But still...

_The head of the Namikaze clan, huh? I bet the whelp also took up the Uzumaki clan if his name is any indicator. Ambitious and intelligent, a combination that should never be used to describe any Namikaze.  
_  
And yet the unlit exploding tag in the room was whether or not the heir knew or was capable of the Hiraishin. If so, then that made this offer one that he could not reasonably ignore, ramifications of the implications with Konoha aside.

He was left with three options: Kill the Namikaze head to prevent a long-term strategic threat, seriously consider and likely accept the proposal, or turn it down and face the consequences at a later date.

He was effectively boxed in, especially now that Akatsuki had explosively shredded their contract with Deidara's defection. No longer did he have any assets capable of killing a Hiraishin wielder that could give him plausible deniability and avoid incensing a village that viewed the boy's father as a savior.

Turning it down would be the wisest of options. He wasn't a big fan of selling away his granddaughter to a boy who was the sworn enemy of the village, let alone she didn't know. However, the ramifications of such a decision could be far-reaching, there would be nothing restraining the Namikaze from using the Hiraishin and whatever fuinjutsu knowledge that could take down the Kyuubi against them.

That left accepting the proposal and work on shaping it to benefit Iwagakure.

"Hitsuchi, has the first report of the Chunin Exams from Konoha come in?"

"Yes, Tsuchikage-sama."

"Bring me an entry on any participant by the name of Naruto with the last name of Uzumaki or Namikaze."

* * *

000

* * *

Awhile later, after reviewing the information, scant as it was, of who this Naruto was, he was ready. He wasn't exactly sure of what to expect considering from what the report said of Naruto Uzumaki, was that he was a below average genin with above average chakra reserves.

He summoned his bodyguards nearby, four men and women appearing in front of him, "defensive formation, one of you activate the seal on this."

Satisifed that his orders would be fulfilled, he handed the scroll to a female bodyguard, who then placed on the floor as the other members of his contingent arranged themselves in front of him.

The masked shinobi activated the seal, a puff of smoke the indicator of a successful activation of the seal before it dissipated to reveal a seated figure that caused one of the guards to gulp while the one that had activated the seal scrabbled backwards into a defensive position.

It was when the eyes opened that it confirmed for the Tsuchikage that this wasn't a trick as eyes the color of ocean depths scanned over them for a moment, tense analysis turning into a hint of amusement at the sight before it. It then stood up, ignoring the tensing of the defensive ninja around him.

"Greetings Lord Tsuchikage-sama," the clone greeted before bowing, "I am relieved that you are interested in our offer."

_Kid really does have a silver tongue to match that golden hair of his._

"I am only interested in information. What I do with that information is my choice," he retorted with a shake of his head.

The clone blinked a moment before nodding.

"Fair enough, Lord Tsuchikage. May I have a seat, I believe I will be here answering your questions for a bit and the seal matrix was a bit...cramped."

At that, he stared at the unassuming young blond before nodding himself, "Get him a seat if you would, " he stated to one of the four ninja before him.

In response, one of the ninja sheathed his sword before making a series of handseals and bringing his hand down on the ground, a rock chair erupted out of the ground in front of the clone.

"Thank you," the clone stated before sitting down as the Tsuchikage did the same.

He looked at the clone that sat there a swirl of emotions running through his head at the sight of the son of Iwa's worst enemy. The report again clashing with what he was seeing, a calm and collected enemy completely different from the brash, loud, and unshinobi-like genin in the report.

"I read what information we have available on you Namikaze," he declared, keeping his eyes level on the boy's clone, searching for any deception on his features, "if you are the son of the Yondaime I find it odd that you would not be acknowledged as such, Naruto Uzumaki."

The clone didn't flinch at the accusation, instead tilting his head slightly to the side as the ANBU shifted slightly at the announcement.

"Tell me, Lord Tsuchikage, what do you know of bijuu?"

Why would he be asking that, Ōnoki thought before answering.

"They are chakra constructs," he responded dismissively, "and weapons of war when sealed into shinobi."

"Who are also treated like village pariahs because of their tenants. In many cases the hatred stems from the actions of the bijuu that are reflected upon the jailer since they are the only ones people can retaliate against, regardless of lineage and connections."

He almost speaks as if he were one. But the only way is if...October tenth, the Kyuubi attack, the Yondaime's demise...

"You're a jinchuriki."

The clone nodded silently.

That made sense then. The reason why the boy hadn't appeared in any of their briefings was because of his situation, a jinchuriki and the son of the Yondaime would be an irresistable target for Iwa and Kumo to eliminate. By keeping hidden he would be safe. Obviously something changed if this boy was making his presence known now.

That only left one piece of information he needed to know now.

"Do you know the Hiraishin no Jutsu?"

"Yes."

It was straight, confident, and no hint of deception.

Kami. This was almost worse than the father himself.

"Why are you so interested in Iwa?"

"Because my father had made repeated entreaties to you in an effort to lessen tensions between us. Also because of the two options you were the more honorable of the two."

Kumo.

"Why not Kumo," he found himself asking.

"If anything, no offense to you Lord Tsuchikage, but Iwa is more predictable as a nation in regards to me. Kumo has proven to resort to more...convoluted of stratagems in order to achieve their objectives. The Hyuuga Incident, for example."

"I'd suggest you watch your insinuation, boy," he threatened, leaking killer intent towards the clone who merely blinked in response. He wasn't exactly offended by the insinuation, but the pup was skirting the line real close.

"There was no insinuation meant, Lord Tsuchikage, it was merely an observation based upon the established facts. If offense was taken then I sincerely apologize."

But the boy is right, he thought, Iwagakure is openly hostile while the Raikage is willing to feign friendship whilst slipping the kunai into a vital spot.

"And why my granddaughter?"

The clone closed his eyes for a moment, letting out a sigh.

"Equivalency, Lord Tsuchikage. Your granddaughter is of rough equivalency in noble stature to myself in the eyes of Konoha. She's also a skilled kunoichi if the reports are to be taken correctly, able to defend herself. As soon as I go public with my lineage then not only will I be a target but anyone close to me will be a target from enemies both external and internal."

The internal enemies are more than likely those who view him as the Kyuubi. Pragmatic, intelligent, and thorough.

"What do we get out of this?"

"You won't get the Hiraishin."

He shot up in his chair, floating up over the clone.

"Then there is no point to this marriage boy!"

"Ketsueki Kyōtei." (Blood Pact)

Everything froze in the room as Ōnoki looked down at the boy stunned by what had just been declared by the clone.

_That boy didn't just say what I think he did._

"What did you just say?"

"While we cannot give you an S-Rank jutsu like the Hiraishin to you because it is not originally ours to give, I will pledge Ketsueki Kyōtei to your clan. So long as your interests do not clash with Konoha's, your enemies are mine."

Now there was nothing to prevent him from being suitably impressed by this child. Ketsueki Kyōtei was an incredibly old clan rite that bound clans together in a blood oath in which one clan's enemies are that one's and vice versa. The fact that they boy knew of this old custom and was willing to use it said a lot about him.

But maybe more impressive was that they boy had not used the fact he's become the legitimate head of two clans and would have a large power base to effect possible advantages for Iwa.

"You do realize what you are doing, correct boy?"

"Yes. If you cannot have the Hiraishin itself then make a blood oath with the one who wields it, correct Lord Tsuchikage?"

He harrumphed in response.

"We'll consider it and get back to you with a response, Namikaze."

The clone stood up, bowing to him.

"Thank you for your consideration, I look forward to your response, Lord Tsuchikage."

The clone then dispersed in a puff of smoke, leaving the Tsuchikage and his guard contingent standing there looking at the chair it just vacated.

It was like that for almost a minute before the Tsuchikage spoke again.

"Retrieve my son and granddaughter. Bring them to me." Ōnoki finally said feeling his age once again

Disappearing to fulfill the orders given by their leader, they left Ōnoki staring at the chair some more, one thought dominating everything.

_Why couldn't it be my back?_

* * *

**And there you have it. The wheels have begun turning on Iwa gambit for Naruto. Will they accept? What will happen? Guess y'all are going to have to wait until we get there.**

**Now, I will be taking a brief hiatus to work on my other stories. Hopefully I will have a new chapter up before New Year's. No guarantees. Until next time.**

* * *

**Used Jutsus of Note (so far):**

**Summoning: Army of One** (Kuchiyose: Ichi no Guntai):

The user combines the flexibility of kage bunsin with advanced fuinjutsu techniques to remove many of the drawbacks of the kage bunshin to create a small army. However several drawbacks exist in that preparing each clone takes just over a day to complete and it can only be activated with thirteen clones, no more and no less. Kage bunshin are stored in a scroll until they are summoned and have an existing shelf life before they dissipate within the scroll.

Rank: A

Chakra Usage: High

Technique Class: Offensive/Supplementary

Type/Classification: Summoning

Hand Seals: Currently fifty three divided into three "stages" to unlock, prime, and release.

Range: N/A

Users: Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze.

* * *

**Kekkai: San-ten Shōheki** (Three Point Barrier):

The user places down three kunai in perfect triangular position to create a chakra barrier to deflect damage.

Rank: B

Chakra Usage: Low to High, depending on strength and accuracy of the attack

Technique Class: Defensive

Type/Classification: Kekkai Ninjutsu

Handseals: Handclap

Range: N/A

Users: Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze

* * *

**Ketsueki Inkushīru no Jutsu **(Blood Ink Seal):

The user tributes blood into his chakra in order to create a chakra ink chains in order to attack and/or seal a target.

Rank: A

Chakra Usage: High

Technique Class: Offensive

Type/Classification: Fuinjutsu/Ninjutsu

Handseals: Monkey-Dragon-Ox-Ram-Rat-Bird-Snake-Dog

Range: Short-to-Mid

Users: Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze

* * *

**Nikushoku Chēn** (Carnivorous Chains):

Using several clones positioned in a circular formation with seals emplaced, the user can recreate the chakra chains of Kushina Uzumaki to restrain and subdue a bijuu. Can also be used as a trap to eliminate targets within the area of effect as well.

Rank: A to S

Chakra Usage: Very High

Technique Class: Offensive/Defensive

Type/Classification: Fuinjutsu/Ninjutsu

Handseals: Owl-Rat-Dragon-Dog-Snake-Ram-Handclap (Simultaneously)

Range: Area of Effect

Users: Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze


	10. Repercussions

**Well, I lied again on the time in between updates. This time you can blame BrokenAuthor for being an annoying tit that refused to let me do my schoolwork because of a certain scene that takes place in this chapter. So I won't waste your time by talking any further about it, I'll just go straight to the responses and then onwards to the chapter.**

**Pillpusher (Guest): **Yeah, thanks for pointing out my idiotic error. I fixed that after it.

**Bunnyguest (Guest): **I'll be switching to Sasuke's view for a decent portion of the next chapter as everything really catches up to him. Kurotsuchi's response won't be for a good while so I'll let you think of what is happening.

**Guest December 4: **Yeah, that is my one big fear and constantly haunts me when I write. Sadly, I had a gut feeling that would have been the problem in Chapter 9, the problem is I don't have a lot for Onoki so some of it was based on some things I did know about him. So I apologize here.

**Black Sparrow: **Yeah, I fixed that today, I feel so incredibly stupid for that oversight. My apologies.

* * *

**Chapter 9**

_**Repercussions**_

"**Naruto.**"

Ocean-blue eyes slowly opened in response to the beckon as their owner slowly roused himself. Sufficiently aware and noting the fact that above him there was nothing but blue sky and clouds he forced himself up to a seated position, knowing exactly where he was.

"Kyuubi," he returned neutrally, looking at the giant fox that was laying across from him, gigantic head perched on its paws. It did not looked pleased with him.

"**Stupid human,"** it growled, it's right eye locked upon him, "**why didn't you give me control**."

Knowing that he couldn't lie to the fox because of the precarious situation his father placed on him with the seal he simply sighed and plopped back down.

"How long have I been out?"

"**DON'T IGNORE MY QUESTION**," the fox roared now up on all fours as it now loomed over him.

Unconsciously, his eyes flitted to the massive fox's neck, seeking reassurance that the seal was in place, before closing them again.

"If I went to five tails what assurance would I have that you'd honor our agreement?"

"**ARE YOU SAYING I WON'T?!"**

"No. I'm merely noting that an agreement may not mean much when taken into consideration you've been a prisoner for us mortals for almost a hundred years now. If my warden let me free after so long and told me to be back by dinner because that was our agreement do you think I would honor it?"

The fox glowered for a few more moments before it turned away, repositioning itself back where it had been sitting.

"**As much as I am loathe to admit it, you are right. But there were consequences for your reluctance in giving me power.**"

"There always are," he murmured more to himself than anything.

"**You shaved four years off your lifespan with that display as we feared would happen.**"

"Of course," he replied bitterly, "it looks like we will be limited to three tails for the time being."

The fox snorted, "**It's your father's fault for dividing me in half.**"

"You'll have no disagreement from me," he responded, still keeping his eyes closed. There was no point to look around, the place was his mind.

It had been one of the stipulations for their agreement had been that the sewer had to go. As a result, thanks to a lot of meditation he had been able to change it to an open prairie with a forest at the edges. A secondary seal had been positioned to be hidden inside the 'sun' where its 'rays' prevented the Kyuubi from attacking him.

"We'll need to find a way around the Stage II transformation," he responded, "I doubt my father just threw on that seal with the knowledge he had on jinchuriki to limit our potential. There has to be something we're missing."

The fox remained silent, obviously deep in his own thoughts. Sensing that the little meeting was over, he opened his eyes and stood up.

"**An advanced warning Naruto, they currently have you locked up in the high security wing of the hospital.**"

This earned a frown and a look for explanation.

"**Let's just say there are some who felt that our actions in saving them is a larger security threat than a bijuu destroying their city.**"

Naruto snorted, shaking his head.

"Idiots."

The fox only grinned menacingly, knowing perfectly well his container could be perfectly vengeful if he felt like it. Those pranks for a lot more than just training.

"Well, time to deal with the trash, I'll talk to you later," he stated, whipping out a kunai, "Kurama."

He them stabbed himself in the thigh, phasing out and drawing an annoyed growl from the gigantic construct.

"**Impudence.**"

* * *

000

* * *

Now back in the physical world, he kept his condition unchanged as he instead focused on his surroundings, looking for the chakra sources he knew were there.

Sure enough there were three stationary chakra signatures situated in the room...and now two, he recognized with a frown that his awakening had not gone unnoticed. Though a guard detail shouldn't have an odd number.

Filing that info away he chose to open his eyes and lever himself up into a sitting position despite the protest of his body at the movement.

He had a clone appear beside him, surprised that no one had placed a seal to prevent him from using chakra.

"Get me a set of clothes."

The clone nodded, disappearing in a yellow flash as he collected his thoughts at the situation.

The problem facing him now was a lot trickier than anything yet, he realized upon review with a curse. Up until the attack on Konoha he had been in control of the battlespace, choosing his battles, manipulating and isolating his opponents in a way that minimized their threat value. Unfortunately, now that he had revealed almost all of his trump cards in the invasion, it placed him in a compromised position. He had to get back on the offensive soon.

Still, he had the Tsuchikage feeling out the idea of a political union, and all wasn't looking too down.

He cut out any further contemplation as the door to his room opened to reveal the Hokage. Jiji looked...just old. Like the battle had taken a lot more out of him than it should have.

"Jiji," he murmured softly, wrenching a wan smile out of his erstwhile grandfather figure as he brought up a chair beside the bed.

"How are you," he asked, grandfatherly concern etched on his face.

"I'm fine," he responded, leaving off the rest of what he wanted to say, _considering I melted my skin off before changing the musculature and skeletal structure in my body for my transformation, shorting out every pain receptor in my body. Then there were the first degree burns...  
_  
The elder seemed to be operating on his wavelength judging by his expression.

"When were you going to tell me that you could control the Kyuubi."

He leaned back into the bed, taking his eyes off the Hokage as he heard the fox in question snort in derision.

This was one of those instances where he could play offense or defense...

"Naruto?"

"I no more control the Kyuubi than he controls me. It is a mutually beneficial relationship to where as long as I live, he is not inconvenienced by such things as being sealed within another prison that doesn't want to deal with him like his former two jailers did or worse."

**Clever, as long as he is unaware of our agreement then we won't have to worry about him interfering.**

"I...see," the old man finally answered, leaving them both in an uneasy silence because of the subject discussed.

"How long was I out," he asked, seeking to confirm what his dispelled clones had fed him while looking back up to the ceiling.

"Two days."

He nodded tersely. Two days in which his enemies could make plans, two days in which he needed to play catch up.

The problem now was almost everything he had done had been thrown away by the usage of his bijuu. Even the fact that he had taken down the Shodaime, Orochimaru, and Shukaku had been attributed to the Hokage and Jiraiya while the people he had expected to come to his defense had been silent.

"Why haven't you told anyone what I had done," he asked, letting a bit of the righteous anger he felt simmering underneath into his tone.

The Hokage, his Jiji, said nothing, which only fed his anger. Everything he was doing was being thrown away all because of this damn sentimental and doddering old fool that put too much faith in a village that was too stupid to understand what his father had done!

"Is that all you have to say to me, Jiji? Nothing?! After all I did during the invasion you're just going to throw everything I've done away!"

"I never said that, Naruto."

"No, you're just doing a damn fine job by not backing me up," he snapped, "do you even realize what the people are saying about me because they don't know what I had to go through?!"

"And do you want them to know? That you fought and defeated a revived Shodai Hokage, one of the few that could ever defeat the Kyuubi? Do you want people to know you fought and drove off Orochimaru? How about the Ichibi? The invasion didn't just happen for you Naruto."

He sighed, realizing the truth of what the Sandaime was saying, it was bad enough that he was a Namikaze, but to reveal all of that would draw a target on his back, not to mention alienate him from his peers even more. His impetuousness was getting the better of him.

"I just," he finally admitted, calming himself, "I just can't let this one incident overshadow everything I've done Jiji. I can't afford to go one step forward then two steps back because of the decisions I made to protect this village."

"And maybe you should stop thinking about yourself and start believing in the people that believe in you Naruto. I haven't forgotten what you did and I know Jiraiya hasn't. But things should be taken in deliberate action, not in a rush."

The room fell silent as he silently berated himself for being so short-sighted in believing what he did. Maybe it was the fact that everything said about him struck close to home, or it was the jealousy in the fact that others were getting the credit when he should be.

"How's Sakura," he finally asked.

Silence was the returned response, causing his stomach to plummet.

"She's alive."

It didn't take a genius to figure it out.

"But..."

The older man hesitated.

"I think she will be grateful to see you Naruto. You saved her life."

He numbly nodded, his initial fears when he had treated her seemed to be accurate. In her current state her shinobi career was over, at best, she would never be able to walk for the rest of her life, at worst.

"Am I able to go and see her," he asked.

The Hokage nodded, getting up from his chair, "I just wanted to see you when you woke up...and to thank you."

"I only did what was required of me as a shinobi of Konoha, Jiji."

For a moment, it looked as if he had a response on the tip of his tongue, but instead he simply closed his mouth and shook his head, his hand reaching and grasping Naruto's shoulder tightly. He then got to his feet and slowly sauntered out the door just as the clone appeared at the door with his clothes.

* * *

000

* * *

It took a few minutes to change, his body still tender in some places for too advanced of movements, specifically in the joints, but it was nothing compared to the transformation. However, it took almost another half an hour before he could get out of the secure wing and to his destination, security was tight and his exhibition against the Ichibi made too many people leery of his presence. Still, it was not enough to deter him as he opened the door to his destination and stepped in.

The silence was off-putting, the lack of any medical equipment hinted that she did not need them, the surgeons doing enough to maintain her life, but not enough to restore her to her previous state.

She looks so pale, a part of his mind took in, his eyes roaming over her unconscious form, before sliding down the bed and widening in surprise at the sight before him.

There, passed out at the end of her bed in a chair was Sasuke Uchiha, asleep if the steady rise and fall of his chest was any indicator.

That, surely, was a surprise. Of all the places he expected Sasuke to be, anywhere near anyone of Team 7 injured was one of the last places he would he had guessed. What had caused the change in his teammates thinking left him filing that away for later investigation. Instead, he focused upon his primary subject, walking into the room and letting the door softly close behind him.

The soft click of the door seemed to set Sasuke off, as he awoke with a startle, his body jerking in response to the outside stimuli. Reaching up to rub his eyes even as he slid the blanket off himself, looking up to him.

"Naruto."

"Sasuke," he acknowledged, arriving at the foot of the bed and grabbing the chart, looking through it with a deepening frown before placing it back.

It was even worse than he feared. While they had been able to rest the bones, the damage was so significant that at best it was a makeshift repair, they would not be able to handle any load-bearing because of all the stress fractures. Even worse was the tenketsu point damage, in several areas the tenketsu points were too far damaged for anyone in Konoha to repair.

"How long have you been here," he found himself asking as he looked to Sakura.

"Since she was admitted," the ebony-haired Uchiha responded softly, earning an arched eyebrow before filing it away.

The fact that Sasuke had not left Sakura's side since she was admitted rated as probably the largest surprise in the longest time for him. What had changed in what he always considered "Sasuke's Revenge World"?

"Where's Kakashi?"

"I haven't seen him since Sakura was admitted."

_What_, he thought as his eyes narrowed, looking from Sasuke to Sakura and their sorry state, _he hasn't been here?!_

His hands curled into balls, fingernails digging into the skin of his hands, easily drawing blood. Immediately, he summoned a sextet of clones.

"Kakashi. Here. Now."

The clones nodded before disappearing, intent on hunting down the object of their boss's fury. Unfortunately, their efforts were for not as the door to the room opened and in walked Kakashi, head deep in his Icha Icha novel.

"Sasuke, how about we go out for some fresh air and some tra-," he trailed off as Naruto whipped around, eyes narrowed in intense fury. He didn't have any warning before the door was slammed behind him by a suddenly manifested clone.

"You," Naruto, his voice now a low growl you would expect from an animal instead of a human being.

"Naruto."

"Kakashi," he bit out, his eyes glowing dangerously as he sauntered towards his former sensei, "so nice of you to join us. I was just looking for you."

"Naruto, it is good to see you up-"

"Don't patronize me, Kakashi," he snapped, before taking a breath and letting it out. He was letting his anger rule him and it would not do well in this situation. The entire aftermath had done more to him than he had thought.

"Kakashi," he continued after finding a modicum of calm that he really didn't have at the moment, "I've been silent about this since the day you became our instructor, but I no longer am required to keep it. That is why I am going to say this here and now: You are a disgrace as a sensei and my father's student."

He noted the frown and the slight flinch in expression on Kakashi's face, but he honestly did not care, he had been waiting for too long to say this and frankly, he would deal with the fallout of his immature actions of letting pettiness rule his decisions here, but it had to be said because it was already too late to prevent what had happened because of his former sensei's inability to do his job.

"First, let's start with the very beginning of this entire debacle, the jounin-sensei program first started by the Nidaime Hokage: Do you know why the program was put into place? Of course not, if you did you would not have failed us as genin. The purpose of the jounin-sensei program was to have skilled veterans take a trio of genin students in order to pass on the lessons they have learned as shinobi so the next generation is prepared for war. That's right, war. The fact that you progressed so fast should have been indicative to you that was its purpose. It's unfortunate that the Yondaime and subsequent return of the Sandaime blunted this with the shift to a more peace-oriented stance. And as a result, jounin were promoted to sensei who should not have had the opportunity to do so, case in point the current generation of jounin-sensei and the current crop of genin being promoted to Chunin in spite of their lack of fulfilling the original requirements of the program."

"Moving on, we come to the very heart of the matter that is why we are here. Why Sakura is a cripple, Sasuke is an emotional wreck in spite of his usual pompous attitude, and I am here having to lecture you as to why you suck as a sensei in spite of the fact that my father taught you and he was considered one of the finest jounin-senseis of his generation. So, let's dig in. What did you teach any of us? Water-walking? Tree-Climbing? You do realize that those were supposed to be academy lessons but because of my presence in the graduating class, all lessons were deliberately stunted to prevent me from learning too much. But you, on the other hand, just ignored that little fact and took almost a month to finally fix that issue, AFTER we had encountered Zabuza on a C-rank we should have never taken in the first place, rank regardless. You constantly harped on us about teamwork, but at the time of the acceptance of that mission we were still three individuals reluctantly working together instead of seamlessly operating as a team. But let's not stop there, shall we?"

He leaned back on Sakura's bed keeping his eyes locked onto Kakashi's with his arms crossed, it was now just them in this room as far as he was concerned.

"You failed to call reinforcements for the Wave mission, not once, but TWICE in spite of the fact we were facing an ANBU-Class S-Rank missing-nin who just so happened to be a former member of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist and an unknown nin who later turned out to be as strong as him. You could have had a Konoha hunter-nin team to Wave within four days, plenty of time to rest and prepare to engage Zabuza, instead you proceeded on ahead by giving in to a trio of GENIN. But that's not all, oh no, you proceeded to train us basics instead of using the knowledge you had on how Zabuza operated to provide us with countermeasures and prepare methods of engaging Zabuza and Haku to our advantage, instead simply throwing us at Haku, who again was unknown at the time, and expecting good results. It was only a miracle that Haku did not have a hostile bone in his body and was not aiming to kill."

"But you held back in that fight," Sasuke's voice caused him to remember he had a crowd, but Sasuke's interruption wasn't one running to Kakashi's defense, but was merely an observation.

"I held back until I had been able to ascertain the limits of Haku's skills," he retorted his voice snapping back to calm in order to not appear to be chastising the Uchiha, "the second I realized that Haku was not going for the kill and he revealed most of his bloodline I took to the offensive. No offense to you Sasuke, but there are other dynamics playing in the background that you aren't aware of yet, but if I didn't deliberately retard my skills then there would be trouble for myself. I'm sorry you got messed up for it."

"Tch, I got the Sharingan out of it, so I'll give you a pass."

"Why thanks, I'm so honored at your generosity," he returned sarcastically casting the Uchiha a sidelong glance before turning back to Kakashi.

"Then, when we come back from the Wave Mission, what do you do? You give us a handful more of D-rank missions while ignoring the glaring flaws in the team. Then you have the audacity to think our team was ready for the Chunin Exams. Let me repeat that one more time for you, the Chunin Exams. Which means the BEST of the genin teams are sent to take a crack at getting promoted. It was only lucky because of the poor quality of genin from Konoha in the Chunin exam that we even had a chance of making it to the preliminaries. But just when you couldn't do any worse, you actually outdo yourself when you make the conscious decision to train Sasuke and ONLY Sasuke when it was horribly obvious that both Sakura and I desperately needed training."

"Sasuke needed the training because Orochimaru wanted him," Kakashi returned cooly, having slipped away his Icha Icha book, if anything, he looked...agitated, "and I assigned Ebisu for your training."

"You and I both know that Ebisu is an elitist incompetent who can't even manage Konohamaru. You honestly believed that he would give me suitable training to match up to Neji Hyūga? Please, don't insult anyone's intelligence. But that's beside the point, who did you leave for Sakura? Who was training her?"

Kakashi didn't answer, because he couldn't.

"Exactly," Naruto continued, the acid dripping from his tone, "you left no one to look after Sakura, just left her to stay at her mediocre level when she so desperately needed the training probably even more than Sasuke. Did it not even occur to you that you could have used kage bunshin as training aids, three clones we couldn't touch with a ten foot pole, all with your entire knowledge base? Even splitting your chakra into thirds you would still provide enough teaching for the three of us individually. I sincerely doubt you would have been pressed too hard by any of us, or even arranging something with Kurenai-sensei to help Sakura out since she has genjutsu potential, I doubt she would have had a problem with it. Instead, no, you couldn't even do that. And to top it off you have the Grade-A balls to stroll in here and ask Sasuke who has been here since Sakura arrive to leave her and fucking train! And now look at your work."

He motioned towards Sakura.

"Are you proud? Do you feel any sense of remorse for your failures? Doesn't seem like it to me. All you have ever done since the death of your teammates and my father is bury your head in shoddy smut, shirk your duty, and dwell so hard in the past that it's a small wonder you are still even connected to the present."

Satisfied with his little rant, he settled himself back a little bit as he watched the expression of Kakashi, hoping that what he had said would get through to his former sensei. Yet, it seemed it didn't happen as the sharingan user gave a long-suffering sigh.

"Are you done now Naruto?"

That one statement was like a slap against his face as he stiffened, his face contorting into a visage of sheer rage. He knew he shouldn't have said what he did next, but the fact that the man chose to shrug him off so easily caused whatever restraint he had to snap.

"Honestly, if Obito Uchiha saw you now, I think he would be disgusted with himself for wasting his sharingan on you."

"Naruto!"

Everyone's heads snapped to the soft voice that sounded more like an explosive tag going off for all them, finding Sakura staring at all three of them, her green eyes wide open and awake.

"Sakura," he murmured, Kakashi offering the same sentiment, earning a harsh glare from him.

"It's not just Kakashi's fault," she offered softly, "it's unfair to blame him for my failings as well."

"But your failings were the result of his inability to actually do his job, Sakura. Let's face it, you wouldn't be like this if he had been a sensei."

He then sighed, knowing he had said enough, in fact, it was nice to actually get it off his chest. He had been laboring so hard being the idiot and not calling out Kakashi for everything.

"And yet. In spite of that, Kakashi, Sakura is right. I can't blame you for everything, I blame the system that should have recognized your deficiencies. You did a good job training Sasuke with the time you had in between the preliminaries and finals, if anything, I laud you for such a dramatic turnaround for Sasuke. But you should have never been tasked with training three genin. Sakura," he turned to look at her, "do you still want to be a kunoichi?"

She looked at him for a few moments, incredulous at his question.

"I can't, Naruto. Even if I wanted to. My legs," her eyes clenched tight, tears threatening to spill out of them.

"I didn't ask about if you could or could not, Sakura," he returned softly, "I'm asking if there was a chance for you to be able to walk and be a kunoichi again, would you take the opportunity?"

She looked at him for the longest time, everyone silent before bowing her head in acknowledgment.

He didn't say anything more, deciding enough had been said as he moved past Kakashi and out the door, leaving sensei and students in his wake looking at each other.

Sasuke started walking towards the door as well, but not before offering something that surprised both remaining occupants.

"Sakura, I'm sorry."

And then he was gone.

* * *

000

* * *

"Naruto, wait up."

He paused just as he was stepping off the grounds of the hospital, turning to find him face to face with Sasuke who had chased after him.

"That's the second time you've refrained from referring to me as dobe, Sasuke. What brought this on?"

"What you said to Sakura. About making her a kunoichi. How are you going to do it?"

_He's definitely changed_, Naruto noted.

"Walk with me, I have a lot to do and not a lot of time to get it done."

He then turned and started walking, noting Sasuke had fallen in behind him.

"I believe it's possible to restore her legs and mobility," he admitted, "however, there's only one person capable of possibly doing that and she's been out of the village since before I was born."

It was now as they entered into the more populated areas that the stares began, causing him to internally curse at the fact he hadn't put up his henge. Instead now he had to deal with the looks that ran the gamut from reluctant admission to abject fear, the whispers were worse though.

"Who is it?"

"Tsunade Senju, one of the Sannin."

Sasuke's silence was enough to tell him he knew who she was. Of course, not many people in Konoha didn't know the Sannin.

He remained silent as they entered the First Konoha Bank, a grunt the only acknowledgment of confusion at what Naruto was doing as Naruto marched straight up to man at a desk who gave them a look from his book, which had a false cover as both shinobi noted.

"Get lost, kid," the man grumbled, obviously irritated that he couldn't read his Icha Icha book.

"It's not kid, Mister...Sato," he had to glance at the plate, "I am Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze," he declared in a commanding tone, retrieving a scroll and placing it in front of the man, "and I'm here to make a withdrawal and an inquiry."

This immediately caused the man to take notice, obviously having heard the scuttlebutt, as the book dropped out of the man's hand and fell to the floor with a soft sound before straightening up in his chair and opening the scroll to look through it.

"Ah yes, Lord Namikaze," the man returned after looking through the scroll and placing it down and sliding it back.

This caused Sasuke to look over at Naruto in confusion. Since when had the dobe become an actual clan lord?

"Now," Naruto continued, "I want to transfer the money that was placed in the trust for Naruto Uzumaki to the Uzumaki account, I want to withdraw four percent from the Namikaze account, with point eight percent of the money in one case and the rest in the requisite cases, then I would like to request any account activity on the Senju account within the last five years."

The man didn't hesitate, instead taking notes as he then got up and walked away, leaving Sasuke and Naruto alone again.

"Two clans," Sasuke asked, earning a confirming nod from the blonde.

"My mother was the last of the Uzumaki's from Uzushiogakure and my father was, of course, the Yondaime. I'm currently the head of two different clans."

"And what about the Senju?"

"The Shodaime's wife was an Uzumaki. Because of that, I do have access to the Senju accounts in the event that there are no Senju within Konoha proper. It's actually a security measure to prevent outside forces from draining the account, though it wasn't used until my identity was confirmed."

It didn't take long in the silence before the man was back with help and a quartet of cases, placing them down in front of Naruto before handing him a scroll.

"Thank you for the wait, Lord Namikaze. The details you wished for are enclosed within that scroll."

"Thank you, Mister Sato," he gently returned, two clones appearing beside him and grabbing the cases, "I'll make sure to return to discuss further refinements to the account and seek you out personally."

He then proceeded to lead Sasuke out of the bank, his head already deep in the scroll before coming to a stop, closing back the scroll and slipping it into a pocket. That done, he turned and proceeded to take the case with the smallest amount of money from the clone before handing it to Sasuke.

"What?"

"I want you to take that money to Sakura's parents," he stated solemnly, "they are going to need that money for treatment and for taking care of her."

"But it's your money."

"It doesn't matter whose money it is, Sasuke. What matters is that her parents get it. Besides, I would prefer it if I wasn't the one seen handing out the money anyways."

"I want to go with you."

This earned an arched eyebrow from Naruto.

"I'm not so sure that would be wise."

"Dobe, I'm going."

Sighing, he looked at the two clones who had switched into henge's of two unassuming civilians.

"Go take that money to the hospital, just tell them it's from an anonymous donor."

The clones nodded before sauntering off, leaving the two of them alone.

"It will be up to the Hokage," he finally admitted, "and Jiraiya, but if you can win the both of them, then I just want your promise that you will listen to me or Jiriaya no matter the circumstance."

He knew that was going to be the hardest part for Sasuke, noting the clenching of the jaw and the narrowing of the eyes that flashed dangerously as the Sharingan activated. Instead of shrinking away like many would, he simply did what he always did and returned the look unflinchingly.

And then the Sharingan was gone as the proud Uchiha sighed, his shoulders slumping.

"Fine."

"Well then, I will see you at the Hokage's office shortly," Naruto then disappeared into the Hiraishin.

* * *

000

* * *

How was he talked into this, Sasuke thought as he stood before the door to the Haruno household after having knocked on it, this wasn't his thing.

But still, this was what Naruto wanted him to do...and if really wanted to admit it, this was something he felt he had to do. What had happened to Sakura had been is fault, his pride had cost Sakura her legs.

The door opened to reveal a disheveled and exhausted Kizashi Haruno.

"Uchiha-san," he tiredly greeted, "what can I do for you?"

"Here," he then placed the case down in front of the door, "it's for Sakura."

The elder Haruno looked at the case, his eyes widening slightly before looking back to him.

"What? Why?"

"Just take it," he replied brusquely, uncomfortable with the situation that Naruto had placed him in, "I have to go out on a mission, Haruno-san."

Before the Kizashi could offer a response, he turned and quickly walked away, leaving the Harunos and intent on holding Naruto his word for placing him in this situation.

* * *

000

* * *

"So Tsunade's in Tanzaku Quarters," Jiraiya mused from his seat on the window as the Sandaime sat behind his desk as Naruto reported what he had discovered, "pretty clever tracking her transactions, you would be the only one able to do it."

The blond offered an indifferent shrug, it hadn't been that hard.

"But that still doesn't tell me why you're interested in Tsunade."

"I want to purchase her services to heal my teammate and Rock Lee."

"You do realize she might not want to return to Konoha, Naruto," Hiruzen spoke now, smoking his pipe, "she hates the village."

"I'm aware of that possibility. I have other means of bringing her back if necessary, but I would prefer it be peaceful."

"You are talking about my teammate there, gaki. I don't think you will find her easy to deal with, especially if you are considering what I think you are."

_I could argue the fact that she would underestimate me at every turn because to her I am a genin at the moment. But I think you overestimate her Jiraiya, she is a shadow of her former self if all indicators are to be believed. Then there is the fact you are emotionally compromised when it comes to her._

"And what is this about Sasuke Uchiha joining this search," the Sandaime asked.

"He requested it," he offered, "he's my former teammate and honestly, I think it would be good for him to actually have his eyes opened to a few things in the process. What happened to Sakura has shaken him and it might be the necessary event to change him for the better. I would like the opportunity to make that change for him."

"Even with Orochimaru out there?"

"Orochimaru is likely out of commission for the moment, the damage to his chakra pathways should be sufficient for the time being until we can discover his base of operations and liquidate him."

This earned silence in return as the two men deliberated what he said before Hiruzen looked over to Jiraiya.

"Do you think you can handle the addition of Sasuke, Jiraiya?"

"Please, sensei, give me a bit of credit. I think I can handle two snot-nosed brats on a simple retrieval mission. But I would like to wait until tomorrow before we head out."

"That's acceptable, I have some preparations to make for myself."

The Hokage sat there, the smoke hovering overhead for a moment.

"Very well, Jiraiya, Naruto. Go and retrieve Tsunade and bring her back. I think it is high time that the Senju returnto their home roots."

* * *

000

* * *

"So, they are going to retrieve Tsunade Senju," Hiashi murmured at the crouched form of one of the ANBU who was assigned as the guard for the Hokage. In actuality he was Hyūga and served as his eyes on the Sandaime in order to have an advantage in Council meetings, "dismissed."

The ANBU disappeared, allowing Hiashi the necessary solitude of his position as the head of the Hyūga clan.

The events that had transpired in the last three days had been interesting to say the least. First the revelations of the new head of the Namikaze Clan, but then the invasion attempt by Suna had only compounded the ascendance of young Naruto as a threat to the Hyūga in spite of the Kyuubi release, which according to his sources was a controlled usage.

It also meant he had to position Hinata to take advantage of the situation. Before the Namikaze became too much to contain. That meant he had to make the move now.

_Hinata should be fully recovered by now so she can make the trip._

"Hidetaka, get me Hinata," he commanded.

* * *

000

* * *

The next day was a quiet affair as Naruto and Sasuke had gathered in front of gate with Jiraiya and the Hokage going over last minute arrangements. Naruto had arranged for a method in which the bank could alert them if Tsunade had made another transaction in another location by leaving several clones in Konoha to act as relays and eyes for Naruto.

But probably the most important detail was the fact that Naruto had placed Sarutobi in charge of his affairs until he returned. Most of the night he had spent up arranging the legal contract necessary for the control of his clan in the event of death and the disbursement of the assets if it happened. Nothing would get into the hands of those he had deemed unworthy, with most of the money and equipment going to Konoha itself instead of any individuals.

And now here they were, Naruto shaking hands with the Hokage and Sasuke earning a kind nod from the highest elder of the village.

"Well then, gakis, I guess it's time for us to get going."

"Just a moment," came the voice of the Hiashi Hyūga with his daughter in tow, walking up to the gathering, "Hokage-sama, I ask that my daughter accompany the Tsunade retrieval team."

This earned a questioning look from the Hokage even as Hinata kept behind her father, attempting to keep out of Naruto's line of sight.

Internally though, Naruto was both pleased and annoyed by this development. It was obvious what Hiashi was maneuvering Hinata closer to him in order to play the marriage angle by using his daughter's feelings for him as an exploit.

Of course, what Hiashi wasn't aware of was that it played into his hands because he intended for Hinata to break the Hyūga's ways.

He looked to Jiraiya and the Hokage who looked ready to protest at the fact that it would be three future clan heads concentrated into one team.

"I'm fine with it," he declared, "Hinata's byakugan could be very helpful in tracking Tsunade if she attempts to flee."

At the same time, he had been admitting that declaration he had been lightly tapping his foot, sending in silent code to Jiraiya that Hinata would be fine and that he would take responsibility for her.

Jiraiya looked at him for a moment, obviously considering what he was saying, before looking to the Hokage.

"If it's fine with you, old man. I think Hinata might be just what we need to quickly identify Tsunade's position."

"Very well then, but if anything happens to them Jiraiya..."

"Nothing will happen old man," Jiraiya waved it off, turning around and heading towards the gate, "this should be quick and easy. We'll be back before you even know it."

If only he knew how wrong he was.

* * *

**Yeah, that was pretty scathing what Naruto said to Kakashi, but I felt that it needed to be said. A lot of Kakashi's faults actually lies with himself and those faults became reflective upon his students both in canon and in this story itself. He could not be spared the silver tongue.**

**But, after this, there won't be so much with Kakashi, he will be allowed to grow from this and actually have the opportunity to make up for his past mistakes. It will just take time for the wounds to heal and all that nonsense.**

Anyways, I will not be updating until late this month or early next year, so if its the latter, then I will wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy Near Year.

Until next time.


	11. Dilemmas

**Well, here we are with a Christmas present for y'all. So I'll just get straight to responses so you can get right to the meet of the matter. Just a fair warning, this chapter is going to go a lot deeper into Naruto's personality and what really drives him, I kinda worry that some of you will be turned off by how, well, let's just say if you are familiar with something like Archer Emiya from Fate/stay night, it has a lot of similarity.**

**Sillent: **I honestly made the assumption that with the Chunin Exams that there was more focus by the senseis to train those who are in the finals than those who aren't, as well as a probably drawdown on activity simply because of what was going on. Beside, the only person who could be training Sakura would have been Kurenai and I have a feeling she was more focused on Hinata and Kiba than to have an additional hatchling under her wing.

As for the accomplishments, it really comes down to politics and information control. Because Naruto's Army of One clones were modeled to looks similar to the Yondaime because of the psychological value of it, the only things that would have been Naruto's work would have been his fight with the Shodai, Orochimaru, and then Gaara, all of which did not really have witnesses. Naruto is of course incensed by this because it minimizes his sacrifices and the fact that he had to unleash the Kyuubi because of it. I should have probably gone into more detail on the Kyuubi's release, but that will be discussed in the beginning of the next chapter.

**darkhuntressxir: **It makes sense to be honest, Hinata's infatuation with Naruto and the fact that her overall worth to the clan is minimal (I'm going on the supposition that really no one knows that Hanabi is pretty much the heir apparent for the Hyuugas, which is logical to keep people focused off of the prize), by using her as a political chip for marriage allows him to go into a low-risk, high-gain scenario by getting a strong hand in the matters of the Namikaze-Uzumaki clan via Naruto. It's cold but brilliant.

**PillPushr (Guest): **Yeah, another one of my mistakes, I kinda glazed over the actual discussion about Sasuke in the anime. The pre-Shippuden stuff is hard for me to handle.

**serialkeller: **Yeah, it was a bit hypocritical of Sarutobi to smack down Naruto in such a method, but it was effective. Sarutobi was looking at it from the perspective that Naruto wasn't being selfless like a Hokage should be, instead Naruto was demanding attention for what should have been a service. Was it unfair? Yes. Should Naruto be pissed? Most definitely. But at the end of the day, Sarutobi is trying to guide Naruto on the straight and narrow, trying to keep him from going down a dark path that many self-promoting shinobi might as they become fed up with how they might be ignored. A good historical example would be the case of Benedict Arnold, you have to wonder what might have exactly happened if he had received the proper attention for his actions and sacrifices that went to the wrong generals. Would have have betrayed Washington?

**Higashiyama Sayuri's Devout: **Nope on the Temari, I wanted to avoid it because it was done in another fanfiction, **Council's Folly** by **Aggamenonn**, it's a rather well writen fanfic that takes place right after the Chunin Invasion and sets up Naruto and Temari. I wanted to try something from a different angle and to be honest, the Kurotsuchi angle provided a lot of promise for both politics and drama.

**Okiro Benihime: **I think I pmed you about this, but really, yeah, you have a point on Naruto chewing out Kakashi as being serious insubordination. But then you have to go into would Kakashi do it? Just like Naruto acting petulant around Hiruzen, would Sarutobi knock Naruto down a peg through the military legal system (his solution was to just verbally slap Naruto upside the head). I hope I did a better job in this chapter of maybe hinting that Kakashi DID feel guilty about what happened with Sakura, but he has an issue expressing himself in such a way because of the bad memories. I honestly felt like he would be too heavily entrenched in both the idea that he was guilty and Naruto had every right to slap him down. Does this mean Kakashi is done in this case? No, I have some good plans for the good 'ol cyclops to get him back in the action.

**plums: **There's a bit more to Naruto's quest to retrieve Tsunade as you will find in this chapter. Hopefully you will find it up to your spec.

**Ainismine (Guest): **If I were able to pm you back I would tell you that there is something in the future for those two, but it won't be all sunshine and lollipops, if this chapter is to be used as a template.

**Anyways, before you guys start reading, let me be clear in that the Kakashi bashing really ended in the last chapter. So don't worry too much about it, I have something charted out for him, though it's still a work in progress. So never fear, good ol cyclops will be back on the road of redemption in the eyes of Naruto sooner or later.**

**Now on to the fic.**

* * *

**Chapter 10**

**_Dilemmas_  
**

It came to him in the hotel room at the end of the first day of their trek as he looked at the scroll sitting before him in the room that Naruto had rented for him and him alone.

Not once on the trip had he even considered challenging Naruto.

It was a different feeling, compounded by the fact that Naruto had even allowed him along for the trip. Normally he would have expected Naruto to simple blow him off and tell him to mind his own business. So to have Naruto not only willingly accept, but seemingly pull the leg of Jiraiya of the Sannin to do so was something he wasn't ready for.

This Naruto was a complete enigma to him. Just when he thought he had the blond figured out, he would do something completely different. Like during the entire walk on the first day had been Naruto creating kage bunshin at odd intervals to send them disappearing into a hiraishin, his face a mask of seriousness as he wrote in scrolls and small books. There had been one instance in which he had tried to talk with Naruto only to receive a shake of the head and a "later".

It had made his blood boil the fact that the former goofball had brushed him aside so brusquely, but right after that a clone appeared beside Naruto to hand him a scroll. The moment after Naruto had opened the scroll he looked downright furious before snapping it shut, letting out a curse, and having the clone dispel. After that, he had viewed that it might be wise to give Naruto a wide berth. Which did nothing for the part of him that was screaming that he put the dobe in his place for daring to challenge his primacy. But, what could he do? It was like the sandal was on the other foot, where the blond had previously challenged him at every chance he could get, now he wanted to do it to him. It was unnerving, but now, if he really buckled down upon it, in that very thin sliver of his mind, the dobe had become both a threat and a pear, a maddening dichotomy that caused that inner voice to scream bloody murder and demand that he retake his rightful place at the top.

It was a little while later while they were enjoying a quick break that Naruto walked up to him to apologize. He had shrugged it off, not really caring for the apology, but the blond had reinforced the apology by handing him a scroll.

"In here are several fire jutsus that my family has on record, I think you will find them handy. In addition, there is advanced training for your lightning nature transformation in that scroll to enhance your Chidori a lot faster."

And that had been the only conversation that had transpired between Naruto and himself, a conversation that only continued to add to the growing puzzle that made up Naruto Uzumaki...no, Uzumaki-Namikaze. After that Naruto hadn't made any attempt to chat with him, instead placing his time in a few quiet conversations with Jiraiya and one major conversation with Hinata, pulling the Hyūga heiress aside for a short time while they were on break and returning later with the Hyūga heiress returning in a blush and Naruto with a content smirk on his face that almost made him think he was looking in the mirror at his own image.

What had happened between those two he did not want to brook any consideration of. As far as he was concerned what Naruto did with the weak Hyūga heiress was his own concern as long as it didn't interfere with him. Honestly, he felt that Naruto could do a bit better than such a weak-willed and pathetic creature like Hinata who had disgusted him since he had first met her. Heiress to the Hyūga Clan? Pft, they were doomed if they selected her and he wouldn't mind seeing the clan get burned off its pedestal.

He shook his head. He was getting distracted by trivial issues that were of no concern to him. Better to spend more time on focusing to get stronger so he could kill him.

Now that he was alone he could focus on whatever was in the scroll, placing it down in front of him and unsealing it. Immediately he found himself staring at another pair of scrolls with a large pile of light bulbs in between them.

_Light bulbs? The hell?_

* * *

000

* * *

"So kid what did you want to talk about that requires me to put off my research," Jiraiya asked sitting on the cushion in his room, irritated that Naruto would cut into his time for research, but at the same time curious as to why Naruto would request the opportunity to talk when he had two of his peers with him in other rooms that Naruto had rented for each of them. He had suspicion that the reason he had done so was so he could talk to them individually, but he was not going to pry on that front unless it interfered on the mission.

To be certain, what he had seen of Naruto since the Chunin Exams was like seeing his father all over again, just the way he carried himself but also how he talked with both the Uchiha heir and Hyūga heiress caused flashes of a young Yellow Flash to appear before his eyes. Though, he could do without the occasional kage bunshin disappearing into a hiraishin that Naruto seemed to have ever once in awhile. For what reason, the kid was mum on what he was up to.

Naruto's solemn expression though right now, caused him to frown as the blond reached into his pockets and retrieved a privacy seal, throwing it onto the door and allowing the seal to activate around the room. The fact that Naruto was using one of those meant that whatever he was about to discuss was going to be significant.

"You remember how I told you that the hiraishin was incomplete," he began as he massaged the back of his neck, a nervous tell that he had been able to discern now, , "it's a lot worse than even I have let you and Jiji in on."

"How much worse," he could only ask.

"What I haven't let either of you know is that I can't create any more multiple use hiraishin kunais."

"What?"

"I can't replicate the seal matrix correctly for some reason," the blonde continued, his eyes closed as if fighting his irritation, "I mean, I can replicate it completely, but for some reason it only gives me one usage before it fizzles."

"And you didn't think to tell either of us this why?"

"Because when I got my father's estate I was supposed to get the supply of hiraishin kunais that he had kept stocked up. That would have eliminated my supply problem until I had solved the issue. The problem is when I went to retrieve them, the place that the Sandaime had them stored reported that they had destroyed them almost four years ago on his orders."

"Which shouldn't have happened," Jiraiya finished, this was not good if Naruto was worried about it, "how many were supposed to be there?"

"About two hundred and fifteen kunai."

"And how many do you have left?"

The Namikaze clan head hesitated for a moment before answering, "Forty-one. I lost thirteen in the invasion, though I can only confirm the destruction of five."

Loss of equipment was an everyday occurrence for an active duty shinobi, the average shinobi went through almost three hundred pieces of equipment a year, either because of combat or simple wear and tear. The fact that they were cheap and easily replaceable made their loss negligible.

Something complex like the hiraishin kunai though was an entirely different matter altogether. The blade was relatively easy to manufacture, it was the seal matrix was the issue. If Naruto could not recreate the hiraishin seal, then all he had were fancy kunai.

"There's nothing I can really offer Naruto," he finally admitted, "there were some things I didn't understand of your father's works and the hiraishin is one of them. I understand the computations, but I don't recognize how to apply it. Space-time jutsu is one of those things you either have a firm grasp on...or you don't."

He watched as his godson nodded in acceptance. Honestly, he wanted to help him, but he sucked with space-time jutsu outside of summoning and Minato had kept the hiraishin's secret to himself, not even Kushina had understood that and she had been a fuinjutsu master.

That must have been the reason Naruto had tried so hard to glean from him how to create the seals in a moment and finetune the seal itself. He was already aware of a possible situation and was trying to solve it before it could become a critical issue.

"All I can say is that you need to be careful with the supply you have until you can solve the issue. Which I know you will be able to do sooner than you think."

This earned a sigh from the kid. Really, he wanted him to succeed, but all he could offer had been pointers.

"I'll just have to restrict the carriage limit in the Ichi no Guntai and try to create a workaround."

"Sounds like a plan. Though maybe you should diversify what you have and work from there. Like the Toad contract, it would have paid off for you against the Ichibi if you were able to summon the boss of the toads."

"I know, and I regretted it the moment I realized I should have taken the offer, I just don't like taking things for free, Jiraiya, it's aggravating enough that the hiraishin I use is my father's and not my own. I want to make it my own instead of just a carbon copy of my father's."

He could respect that sentiment. But at least Naruto realized the folly of his pride.

"That's good. Tomorrow, on the way I'll have you sign the toad contract. But I want to know Naruto, why are you sending kage bunshin out in hiraishin and what are you planning with the Uchiha and Hyūga?"

His godson paused, staring at him for a moment before looking upwards at the ceiling. It seemed like a few moments before he sighed in resignation.

"The kage bunshin are serving in several roles for my clans during my absence. Right now is the most critical period for a clans development even though I need to retrieve Tsunade, if I fail to solidify and guard my power then I might as well have just remained loud and idiotic."

He frowned at Naruto's tone, bothered by both how he said it and what he said in regards to Tsunade.

"Need or want?"

"I don't see much of a difference between the two, one's based upon necessity and the other's bases upon the perceived desire," he shrugged, "while healing Sakura is the primary objective of this entire quest, I would be loathe to admit that I desire Tsunade in Konoha for other reasons."

"And that is?"

"Konoha needs someone to kick the doddering old fools off of their perches. Our shinobi need trained combat medics and Tsunade is the only one who can achieve it. Even if it turns out Sakura cannot be healed, there is a chance to fix our deficiencies. Besides, even if I don't want to admit it, Tsunade, if she applies herself, would be a suitable replacement for the Sandaime."

That actually...made sense, in a cold, analytical way, he realized, if the old monkey had fallen against Orochimaru he would be out here hunting for Tsunade to drag her back to Konoha. There was honestly no way he would take the hat if there were a better option.

Still, the way Naruto coldly discounted his firmer teammate as mere objective was disconcerting, but it also said a lot more for Naruto's psychology.

He was no guru of the human mind by any stretch of the imagination, but he had seen and experienced enough to know that there were some serious danger signals there. Minato had the same issue as he became older, only he never toed the line where it came to his friends and loved ones and he always had a warm outlook on life.

Naruto didn't seem to have any of that. If anything, he was the antithesis of his parents, none of that verve and carefree attitude that his parents seemed to hold on to existed within their son.

_Might controls everything. Those simply weren't words he was spouting to the Ichibi's jinchūriki, he honestly believes that._

For a terrifying moment, he was reminded of his erstwhile teammate and fellow Sannin and how similar Naruto was to him.

No, he wasn't going to let that history repeat itself for his student's son, not when the prophecy heavily hinted that Naruto was the one.

"Is that why you brought the Hyūga heiress, Naruto? Because she has some worth as a tool for you?"

A small twitch on the Namikaze's face was the only tell that what he had said had any effect. At least there was something there.

"Listen to me, Naruto, treating everyone like tools and repressing your feelings will lead you down a dark path."

"I'm not Orochimaru, Jiraiya," he chided, even though his eyes were narrowed in anger, "I would not betray my village."

"I'm not suggesting that, I'm merely noting that what you doing to that girl who is obviously infatuated with you, is wrong. People are not pawns."

"Everyone is someone's pawn, including yourself," the boy snapped angrily, "whether they know it or not. And you are right, Hinata's not a tool to me, she's a kindred spirit. She has suffered through the same torture since the attempted kidnapping by Kumo. She's been beaten, told she was weak and worthless by her own family. She's not in love with me, she's obsessed with me as an example."

"It sounds to me like you do care for her."

There was that twitch again, but now he could see Naruto visibly gnash his teeth together.

"Whether I care for her or not is irrelevant," he finally admitted carefully, "Hinata is poisoned goods the Hyūgas are using to try and bring me under their control. Even if I did care for her like that, as long as the Hyūga's exist as they are currently, I will not and cannot pursue any type of relationship with her. Besides," he added, "when she realizes what I've done it wouldn't matter how I feel, I'd be as much a monster to her as I am to the villagers in spite of my good intentions."

_Oh Naruto,_ he thought, seeing the inadvertent crack in the blonde's mask and realizing that deep underneath all of that was a perpetually lonely young man who had taken too much on his shoulders too fast.

The blond then shrugged as if an afterthought, "Like I said, what I want does not matter in the least, it is only what is necessary that truly matters in any capacity."

"Your parents would want you to be happy and live a happy life, Naruto."

"Of course they did, no loving parent would willingly wish an unhappy life upon their child. But the second they sealed the Kyuubi inside me, in spite of what they wanted, they should have realized they had doomed me from anything but a happy life, they chained me to their will to serve the village. I will live, fight, and eventually die in the service of Konoha. All I can do is serve it to the best of my ability, in spite of if it may seem to be contrary to what seems right."

"Naruto…"

But the Kyuubi jinchūriki shook his head as he stood up and headed for the door before stopping.

"I know what you're trying to do Jiraiya, and I respect it. But you won't be able to change my opinion. There is no happy ending for me, I knew that the moment I realized what a jinchūriki truly was. The best I can hope for is that when I do die that I will be remembered for what I did for Konoha and not for the burden I carried."

He then tapped the wall, deactivating the privacy seal before stepping out of the room, closing the door behind him, leaving Jiraiya in the silence brought on by his exit.

To be honest, he didn't know what to do in light of what Naruto had said. Maybe it was because he figured that if Naruto was away from the village he would open up and be a lot more like his father instead of being only greeted with an even more behaviorally entrenched Naruto who simply accepted his status.

No, that wasn't right, not if Naruto's reactions towards the Hyūga heiress were to be believed. There was something more there than the duty he was referring to, he honestly felt that something for her, but he denied it based upon the self-imposed cage.

_Minato, Kushina_, he thought with a sigh as he leaned back and looked heavenwards, _wherever you are you must be weeping over what your son has become._

Those thoughts alone made him want to have a drink and lose himself in the pleasures of female flesh.

* * *

000

* * *

The blond in question sighed as he leaned against the wall closing his eyes, working to settle himself.

**Naruto.**

He had known this was coming the second he revealed his feelings to Jiraiya on the entire matter. There were some things he worked to keep from the fox in order to prevent any misunderstandings between them. It wasn't so much a lack of trust as much as the realization that there would be too many questions to be asked. He respected the fox, but that didn't mean he would go out of his way to explain every detail to his personality, plans, and thoughts on various matters.

_Don't worry. I do plan to honor our agreement._

**Excuse me if I don't believe you, human. That little rant to the toad sounded awfully like you care more for keeping your village strong than actually honoring anything you say!**

_There's a very fine difference between my village's interests and my promise, Kyuubi. If you were able to, I would ask you to stand in my sandals for a moment, but since you don't let me make this clear for you: I believe the jinchūriki system is not only a flawed system, but an unmitigated disaster in regards to the Shodai's wish to create peace between the hidden villages. It has created only more warfare and suffering since he handed you guys out like party favors._

**I don't see where you are going with this. You humans have always been obsessed with power.**

_I didn't think you would, so I will make this clear to you. I will honor our agreement because I do not wish my fate upon anyone else. I intend to be the last Kyuubi jinchūriki._

The gigantic fox in his stomach snorted.

**And you would willingly weaken your village? I don't believe you.**

_...Who says I was planning to weaken just my village?_

**!**

_Look, we will discuss this at a later time. I need to deal with Hinata and get that ball rolling, so let's just agree that we'll continue as planned and go from there, okay?_

**...Very well. But this isn't the end of it.**

_I didn't intend for it to be._

* * *

000

* * *

For Hinata, an entirely different scenario was playing out as the young Hyūga heiress was reflecting upon what transpired on the walk and trying her hardest not to blush at the ghosting sensation of a certain blonde's arms around her.

Naruto-kun had admitted to her that knew about her feelings for him. If he hadn't admitted it directly to her face she would have never believed it.

But then he had dropped the bad news. That in spite of the mutual(!) feelings, there was no way for them to be together and happy. Not with the specter of the clan and clan rules hovering over them. Even if, by some miracle, they would be able to publicly reciprocate those feelings(!), there was no way they would be able to escape the rulings of the clan in enslaving everything they do to the clan. It all came down to rules and tradition, both of which he could not become a slave to.

It had crushed her to hear Naruto tell her that. That in spite of her feelings that there was nothing that could be between them.

But what he had done next had stunned her, when as she was breaking down he had wrapped her in an embrace, the resulting proximity had cut off her grief and had resulted in her fainting on the spot.

She had awoken a short time later to the chuckle of Naruto who had joked that it seemed she was allergic to hugs.

_"If you had let me finish Hinata, I was going to say that there might be a way around this...but it may be somewhat difficult for you."_

He had then spent the next few minutes explaining to her that the best way that they could actually have that opportunity to be together was if they challenged the Hyūga clan's traditions itself by Hinata becoming the head of the clan. Only the head of the clan could change the rules and traditions, but could also unite the clan, her dream.

_"Hinata, the only way you can truly change the hearts and minds of people is by showing them the depth of your resolve. If you truly want to be with me, then you must do things you may not want to do in order to achieve it? Are you willing to do that?"_

But before she could offer an answer, he placed a finger on her lips, a smile on his face even as she felt faint.

_"Think about it, I'll ask you tonight. We need to get back with the others before Jiraiya decides that he wants to use our little chat as material for his research."_

She had blushed madly at that statement, perfectly aware of what that research was thanks to her careful eye catching that all-too-familiar orange cover of a book that Kurenai-sensei had warned her to avoid. Unfortunately her own curiosity had gotten the better of her and she had discovered, much to her over-imaginative mind, exactly what was in those books. The idea that Jiraiya-sama would use her and Naruto in his books was…she didn't even have a word to describe the feeling.

She flushed as her mind replayed imagery from the book that she had been able to read, only with the characters replaced with herself and a certain blonde.

It was a trickle of blood that snapped her out of that fantasy as she staunched it and viciously shook her head now beet-red at the very thought of Naruto and herself in such a compromising position. They were too young for that, and there was no chance for them having that kind of honest relationship if her clan had its way. Which meant that what Naruto more than likely wanted from her was for her to change the clan so they could be together.

The better question was if she were capable of it. She wasn't even sure of herself, she hated fighting, as much as it didn't make sense for her profession, even if it achieved her wish to be acknowledged for who she really was.

A knock at the door snapped her out of her thoughts, causing her to get up to her feet and open the door to reveal the cause of her distress.

"N-Naruto-kun."

"Hey Hinata, can I come in," he asked, flashing her a warm smile and causing her to blush.

"C-c-certainly," she forced out, stepping back into the room and allowing the blond inside.

"Thank you," he returned, casting a curious eye over the room before returning back to her, "how do you like your room?"

"It's good," she meekly whispered, stepping back further from Naruto, "you are too kind in paying for my room."

"Don't be bothered by it, Hinata," he waved dismissively, "you are one of my precious friends and you are here helping me, it's only fair that I return the favor in some way."

She nodded even as she wanted to bury herself deep in her jacket. Naruto was too kind in spite of everything that had happened to him. That was all the more reason she liked him, he never seemed to allow anything to get him down.

"So," he trailed for a moment, "have you thought about it?"

She nodded slowly, her mind a whirl as the it all came rushing back to her the purpose of Naruto's presence in her room. He was here to ask her if she wanted to be with him and stand against her family.

Could she do it? Could she actually make that decision and stand by it? She wanted her family to be together and happy, no longer two separate and halves that hated one another. But that meant she would have to-

"Hinata," Naruto's voice was like a beacon in the fog, bringing her back from the depressive thoughts that dominated her, causing her to seek him out and look into his eyes, "it's okay. I know how uncomfortable it is. You are the most kind and caring person I have ever met, to even think about something like this must be tearing you up inside."

"I'll do it," she blurted out, hands over her mouth as she realized that she had been impolite by that act, Naruto's expression one of surprise, before she lowered her hands from her mouth, "I'll do it, Naruto-kun."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded, "I want to be with you."

Naruto's piercing gaze caused her to blush as she looked her square in the eyes, the cerulean depths making her feel like she were swimming in a bottomless ocean. It was then when he pulled her into a hug she lost all restraint and promptly fainted.

The former Uzumaki simply smiled as he felt Hinata go slack in his arms, slowly guiding her over to the bed and placing her upon it, making sure to pull a blanket over her form. He would be wrong to not admit that he was going to miss that little quirk. That completed he headed back for the door to the room, opening the door and pausing, taking a look at her.

She was lucky, or maybe he was not, that she never got to notice as the smile disappeared replaced by one of complete sadness. Likewise she was lucky not to hear the words that reverberated in his head as he looked at her sleeping body as he absently applied a seal to the door to ensure it was not opened from the outside.

_I'm sorry, Hinata._

* * *

000

* * *

Thoughts asking forgiveness were not uncommon that night, as in Konoha a certain silver-haired jounin's thoughts see-sawed between that and failure.

It was stupid being out here at night like this, but by the sixth bottle he had surprisingly little fucks to give.

Blearily, he looked at the memorial stone and current object of his grief, the sanctity of stone ruined by the numerous empty sake bottles strewn about it, some intact while others shattered.

But he didn't care, what dominated his alcohol-addled mind was the words of his sensei's son and former student that refused to leave it.

Contrary to what Naruto thought, he did feel regret for what had happened to Sakura and Sasuke, intellectually and emotionally he knew it was his fault. The problem was expressing it, like in every other case of tragedy with him.

So when Naruto had so aggressively run roughshod over him as to why he believed that he, Kakashi Hatake, was a horrible sensei, it was on the level of Obito and Rin dying all over again in terms of devastation.

And so here he was, the world spinning around him as he flopped back onto the grass, another bottle landing on the ground with a soft clink.

_Obito, Rin, Sensei...why can't I do it? Why can't I even seem to honor your memory?!_

He took another swig, not giving a damn for the fact that he had long done away with his face mask because the smell of sake on it was irritating his nose. He frankly didn't care at all if someone saw him, he was a disgrace anyways.

Naruto was completely right, as he hated to admit it, he was obsessed with the past more than his charges, he was no better than his fa-

"My, if you were going to throw a party Kakashi, you could have invited me," a sarcastic and feminine voice caused him to open his eye that he hadn't even realized he had closed.

Mesh and a trenchcoat were the first things he spotted and immediately he groaned internally as his muddled mind immediately identified who it was standing on the branch above him.

Anko Mitarashi, Tokubetsu Jounin, former apprentice of Orochimaru, and residential female hellion, just exactly what he didn't want or need.

"Oh don't be like that Kakashi, you know I liven up every party I attend," she continued smugly as she jumped down onto the ground, scanning the ground of the bottles, "wow, something must be bothering you, this is the most I've seen you drink since that one genjutsu incident with Gai and his student,"

He resisted the bile rising to his gorge at THAT memory.

"Just go away An-," he paused as the snake summoner plopped down, grabbing a bottle of sake and skulling it before letting out a satisfied sigh, "-ko."

"So, what's brought on your more emo than an Uchiha broodiness, Kakashi?"

"Go away, Anko."

"Nope, sister Anko is here to heal the bleeding heart," she ignored his muttered 'and steal my sake', "so spill it, 'fore I take pictures of your face and plaster it all over Konoha."

His hand reached for his mask that he knew where he had laid it, only to end up empty-handed, it was then she waved his mask in her hand.

"Give it back," he forced out, wishing he wasn't so inebriated, stupid Anko and her kage bunshin...wait, she didn't know kage bunshin...shit.

"Not til you tell me what's up that you are drinking out here in the middle of the night."

He sighed, knowing he was not in any condition to fight Anko for his mask and he knew she would do what she threatened.

What the hell, not like it was going to get better, she'd find out sooner or later, the story was already spreading.

"Fine."

Little did either realize that as Kakashi poured out everything they were being watched as after while a crow that had been perched on a nearby tree disappeared into black feathers.

* * *

000

* * *

"Kisame," a pair of eyes opened, three tomoe spinning in onyx and red orbs, "we're leaving."

"Aww, I thought we were here to grab the Kyuubi."

"He's not here."

"Leader will not be pleased, Itachi. Hopefully you have an idea of where he is."

Itachi Uchiha calmly nodded, standing up from his seated position, robe shifting in the wind as its cross-section increased for nature to caress, red clouds shimmering faintly in the muted light of the fire they sat around.

"We'll have Zetsu ascertain his exact location, but he's headed to the Tanzaku Quarters, he's about two days ahead of us."

"Sounds good enough, though it kind of kills the thrill of the hunt," the shark skinned missing-nin stood up in response to his partner's actions, picking up his bandaged sword and placing it on his back. That completed he then reached to grab his straw hat and placed it over his head.

There will be enough of a hunt when we catch up to him Kisame, Itachi thought as he brought his hand up as Kisame started trundling away, a crow landing on it, he looked at it for a few moments before letting it fly off. The crow had another objective of his to achieve while he would continued his pursuit. The Kyuubi's absence merely changed the setting and players for the confrontation.

The larger question plaguing him was the fact that Sasuke and the Hyūga heiress had gone with the Kyuubi jinchūriki. He was well aware that Sasuke supposedly had an adversarial relationship with the newly christened Namikaze head, they should not be working together. So the question became what caused the change in Sasuke? Could it be that someone was finally reaching through to him? Or was there something else at play that he didn't see yet?

He would have his answers soon, at least. Then he would be able to find out just how close Sasuke was to achieving his dream.

* * *

**Probably going to take a month long hiatus after this. I now am in that position to where I need to update the other stories no matter what. I've made too many promises and have dragged my feet in too many other cases. I'll be slowly adding to this story, but I will update before my next college term starts (which I think starts Jan 26th, at least I hope, I'm burned out), so expect something within the next twenty or so days.**


End file.
